


Make Me Like You

by LittleHeiHei



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, Hate to Love, I forgot Allie Long wasn't on the 2015 WC roster but we can pretend, I'm as clueless as you are about where this is going, Pinoe and Ashlyn are snoopy ass bitches, Secret Relationship, Sharing a Bed, They're both rude asf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2020-09-07 04:34:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 71,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20303533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleHeiHei/pseuds/LittleHeiHei
Summary: They’ve hated each other since they met in the 2009 NCAA final.  Christen thinks Tobin is cocky and insensitive.  Tobin thinks Christen is uptight and far too serious.  Fast forward 6 years and the two women find themselves sharing a room during the 2015 World Cup. This  could get interesting…(a.k.a. the story of how the 2015 World Cup flipped their worlds upside down and then shook them like snow globes)





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, so I really have no idea what I'm doing here but I wanted to see this fic written... enjoy I guess.  
OH ALSO- I forgot Allie Long wasn't on the 2015 World Cup roster when I wrote this so just go with it, thanks.

They met at the 2009 NCAA final. Christen didn’t take a second glance at Tobin Heath during warm-ups. The other team didn’t matter to her. All that mattered was winning, that’s all that ever mattered to her. _We have a chance of winning this if we play well as a team_, she told herself. _Just focus on what you’ve practiced._

That idea went out the window when her teammate Kelley O’Hara stormed off the field with a red card in the 73rd minute. They were down 0-1. The odds were definitely not favoring Stanford now, and everyone knew it. Still, Christen was determined to give this her best shot. So when she made that run in the 89th minute, everything started to click into place. 

_This is it_, she thought,_ this has to be it._ The ball found her feet and quickly it was just her, the ball, and the UNC goalie. She shot the ball just like she had hundreds of times before, and watched as the goalie dove, and missed.

The cheers of her teammates were deafening. As she was swarmed with hugs, all she could do was smile thinking, _we did it, we still have a chance. _ Her team’s celebration was quickly destroyed as she heard the ref’s whistle and saw the assistant’s flag go up. Her goal was offsides. 

The game ended 1-0, UNC being the victors. It didn’t feel real for Christen at first; watching her opponents running and jumping with smiles plastered on their faces. It didn’t feel real as they lined up to shake hands. The UNC players’ faces blurred together as Christen passed them. She was ready for this to be over, ready to go home. 

Her entire team cried in the locker room, their coach included. The disappointment and reality of it all settling in. He didn’t say much, knowing it was best to just let them go home and rest. Her teammates got changed and left quickly, but Christen stayed, wanting a moment alone before departing. 

She walked over to the sink and splashed some water on her face, hoping it would hide any evidence that she had been crying. After drying her face with a towel she grabbed her bag and walked towards the door. 

As she reached for the handle, she could hear echoes of some sort of commotion in the hall outside. Christen opened the door cautiously to find her teammates Kelley and Alicia in a heated argument with two UNC players. Kelley was a wreck, her face red -clearly from yelling and crying– and Alicia just looked pissed. The UNC girls were smirking, saying something about being sore losers, when Christen finally spoke:

“What’s going on here?”

“Nothing important Press, keep walking,” Alicia answered, her teeth clenched. Christen knew better than to leave. Kelley looked ready to knock out someone’s teeth. _No point in trying to reason with her right now,_ Christen thought. She turned to face the two UNC girls.

“Listen, I’m sure you meant no harm, and you should be happy about winning tonight, but we’d really appreciate it if you’d celebrate somewhere else,” she spoke respectfully. The girls stood there for a second, then rolled their eyes and turned to leave. 

Christen let out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. She turned back to Kelley, but not before she heard the UNC girls mutter something under their breaths. 

“Bitch.”

It was clear Kelley heard her, because before Alicia or Christen could stop her, Kelley was lunging towards the girls. Christen knew if Kelley hurt either of them, she could lose her spot on the National Team. 

Before Kelley hands made contact with the UNC girls’ backs, a third player side tackled Kelley, bringing them both down to the floor. Christen’s eyes widened as she realized the girl holding Kelley down was none other than the forward her coach had warned the whole team about: Tobin Heath.

Christen just stood there with her mouth hanging open as Tobin restrained Kelley on the floor until the other UNC girls had managed to turn the corner. Once out of eyesight, Kelley stopped resisting. Tobin leaned down, whispering into her ear. It seemed to do the trick because the redness began to fade from Kelley’s face. 

Tobin stood up.

“I’ll see you at camp later in the month Kel,” she muttered. 

Christen wasn’t sure what to say, she wasn’t really sure what just happened, but she knew she was grateful Tobin had stepped in. 

As Tobin turned to leave, Christen found her voice. “Thank you,” she offered. Tobin turned, with a cold look on her face.

“I didn’t do it for you, I did it for the National Team. Try to keep your own players in line next time.” 

Christen was stunned by her unnecessary, rude behavior. Tobin hadn’t even seen what happened, _how dare she?_ “You know, your players were the ones who started this mess, I think you need to take your own advice,” Christen challenged.

“Leave it to Stanford to turn this into a ‘she started it’ case like a five year old, I’m done here.” 

And with that, Tobin walked away.

Christen had no words; if someone had asked what just happened, she wouldn’t have had an explanation. She looked between an overwhelmed Alicia and a distraught Kelley, and decided then and there, that Tobin Heath was an asshole. An insensitive asshole.

______

Five years later, and things hadn't gotten any better between them. Despite their limited interaction, they always managed to make a scene whenever they played on the same field. When Tobin woke up on the morning of a game day against the Chicago Red Stars, she knew today would be no different. 

The whole morning, Tobin tried to ignore the growing pit in her stomach. The growing pit that appeared every time she knows she would cross paths with Christen Press. While she would never admit it, she’s felt horrible about their interaction at the 2009 NCAA Final since the night it happened. If someone had asked Tobin what had made her act so out of character, she still wouldn’t have an explanation. 

Tobin had called Kelley the day after it had happened, and profusely apologized for her and her teammates behavior. Kelley was still bitter, but she knew Tobin too well and could tell the girl was close to tears on the other side of the line, so she forgave Tobin quickly. Tobin had asked Kelley to pass along the message to Christen, but Kelley informed her that Christen still rolled her eyes whenever Tobin was mentioned, and that bringing the incident up again would only make things worse. But if Tobin had known Christian was going to hold a grudge for five whole years, she would have ignored Kelley and just apologized in person…

_But it’s too late now, _Tobin said to herself, _too much has happened since then._ While Tobin may regret how she treated Christen then, it is safe to say there have been plenty of incidents since then to justify Tobin’s hatred for Christen Press. She’s just so uptight about everything, it drives me crazy.

______

Tobin walked into Providence Park, feeling the energy of the packed stadium in every inch of her body. Tobin never felt more alive than when she was playing in her home stadium, there was something magical about the atmosphere. 

During warm-ups, Tobin’s head is exactly where it's supposed to be. Nothing shakes her once she’s in game mode… Nothing except… 

Tobin felt a shiver run down her spine and she knew Christen was looking at her, she could feel it. The brunette turned her head to find Christen glaring at her from the other side of the field. 

There’s just something about her that made Tobin’s blood boil. Tobin felt her legs begin to move towards the Chicago striker, as if to challenge her, but luckily she felt Meghan Klingenberg’s arms wrap around her from the back. 

“Don’t let her get to you already Tobs, she’s not worth it. She’s not worth the red card,” Kling cautioned. 

Tobin sighed, “I know, I’m sorry... I’m not quite sure what just came over me. But I’m fine now, thanks.”

Kling gave her a small smile, patted her on the back, and walked away to get water.

“Good to hear it.”

Tobin looked down at her hands balled up and forced them to relax. _Don’t let her get to you. Game face. Game face. Game face_. She glanced at Christen one more time before turning back to the locker rooms. _This is going to be a long game._

Tobin wasn’t wrong. 

In the 24th minute, Julie Ertz passed the ball up the line to Christen, and she took off towards the goalie. A thorns defender caught up with her in the goalie box wound up tripping her in an attempt to get the ball. The whistle blew as soon as they both hit the ground. 

Christen’s teammates were swarming the referee in seconds, insisting that the trip was intentional.

“Referee! The ball was on the other side of her what do you mean it wasn’t intentional?!”

“Ref! REF! How can you not call that a foul? Of course it was on purpose, Press is our best striker!” 

Soon both Tobin and Christen were a part of the group surrounding the referee. Surprisingly enough, Christen didn’t seem that bothered by the tackle at all. In fact, she was doing her best to calm her teammates down. 

Unfortunately, Tobin didn’t hear that part. 

She leaned into Kling, “Leave it to Christen Press to get worked up because of a defender in the goal box, just classic.”

Christen’s head whipped around, her eyes making contact with Tobin’s. She may not have been pissed before, but she definitely was now. “What is your problem? You didn’t even see what happened, so why don’t you keep your mouth shut.” 

Tobin rolled her eyes, “ Please Press, I don’t need to have seen what happened to know you make a big deal out of everything.”

“You are so full of shit,” Christen was walking towards her now, “Why is it that you think you always know what’s going on?”

Tobin didn’t know why she was being so difficult, but she knew she couldn’t back down now. So when Christen stood just a foot away from her, Tobin was standing up straight and tall, staring at her coldly. “You’re no better and you know it.”

Christen’s eyes narrowed. “Take that back right now Heath.”

“Fuck off”

They were screaming at each other at this point. Soon enough their teammates were pulling them apart. Out of the corner of her eye, Tobin saw her coach and the Red Stars coach talking on the sidelines, pointing to her and Christen. _Shit_, she thought, _we’re both getting subbed out._

The ref ended up not calling the foul and the game continued. Just as Tobin predicted, both her and Christen were quickly subbed out. Tobin quickly jogged off the field, knowing she had no right to be mad at her coach. 

As soon as she reached the sideline, her coach yanked her aside. “Pull another stunt like that in the future,” he growled, “and I won’t hesitate to bench you for three games. Understand?”

Tobin gulped and nodded. She stayed out for the rest of the game, and to her delight, so did Christen.

____


	2. Training Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin gets called into Jill's office. She does not leave happy.

_One year later…_

Tobin is sitting in a chair outside Jill Ellis’ office, her foot tapping anxiously against the linoleum floor. It has been for the last ten minutes. _What on Earth does she want with me?_

The World Cup is right around the corner, and camp starts in a week. Tobin is still confused as to why Jill had asked to meet with her, considering Tobin had already gotten the call confirming she would be on the roster. Her thoughts are interrupted abruptly when the office door opens. 

Tobin’s eyes widen when she sees that the girl walking out of the office is none other than her least favorite soccer player in America: Christen Press

_What was Christen Press doing in Jill Ellis’ office?_ Tobin is lost. 

“Tobin! I know you're out there. I can hear your foot tapping, come on in” 

_Guess we’re about to find out._ Tobin sighs, stands up, and walks cautiously into the office.

“Tobin,” Jill smiles curtly, “Have a seat.” Tobin sits down quickly, the seat still warm from Christen’s meeting.

“Coach Ellis, not that it isn’t nice to see you, but what am I doing here?”

Jill sets her glasses down. “I suppose there’s no reason to beat around the bush. I’m putting Christen Press on the roster.”

Tobin visibly tenses up. 

Jill continues, “I know you two don't get along, that in itself is an understatement, but Tobin, we need her if we want to win this World Cup. I intend to play both of you at the same time but I can't have you two making a scene. As you’ve guessed by now, I’ve already talked to Press about her behavior with you.”

Tobin looks up to make eye contact with Jill

“So now here we are. Tobin, I have a lot of faith in you. I know how much you give to this team, but we need Press. So you have two options; you can work with Press and play, or risk being benched every time I need to put Press in.” 

Tobin just sits there for a few seconds. “This team is everything to me,” she finally says to Jill, “I will try my best.” 

“Glad to hear it. I know this things between you two has gone on for years, I know it’s going to be difficult for both of you. I’m willing to let something slide at one practice, but that’s it.” 

Tobin is grateful her coach seems to understand. “Thank you coach, is that all?”

“Yes it is, if you could send the next girl in that would be lovely.”  


______

Six days later, Christen is standing outside the USWNT training facility. _This is it,_ she tells herself, _this is what you’ve been waiting for._ After a moment of just taking the building in, Christen pushes through the doors and heads towards the rooms. She arrives in front of her assigned room and knocks, knowing her roommate is already there.

The door flings open and Christen finds herself being smothered in a hug by her old college teammate, Kelley O’Hara.

“Pressy! You made it!” 

Christen giggles, “Yes I did. How've you been? I’ve missed you.”

“Gotta tell you, I’m much better with you here,” Kelley says, while showing Christen into the room. “There were far too many ex-UNC players here for my liking, it’s good to have another Cardinal to help even out the battlefield.”

Christen rolls her eyes. “Don’t tell me people still keep up with college rivalries here.”

“Oh that’s rich coming from you,” Kelley grins, “Aren’t you the one who still hasn’t forgiven Tobin Heath for that squabble at the NCAA’s?”

“Oh my god Kel, that’s different and you know it.” Christen runs her hands through her hair. “Look, she may be perfectly nice to everyone else, but she’s absolutely horrible to me. I don't waste my time trying to please people like her” 

“Yeah...well, now you two play for the same team, so you better act like it. Actually… I’m headed to Alex’s room right now. We’re grabbing lunch before practice begins. Do you want to come? It would be a good way to start to bond with the other players…”

Christen thinks about it for a second. “You know what? Sure, thanks for the invite. Just let me change out of my sweatpants.”  
______

10 minutes later Kelley and Christen are sitting with Alex on her bed, laughing over some ridiculous story about Kelley drunk in France.

“Alex why are we still in this room, I’m starving,” Kelley whines.

“Oh don’t be such a baby. You ate like three hours ago. Once my beloved roommate gets back, we will be on our way.”

Christen notices Kelley tense up. “What do you.. mean… once your roommate gets back?” Kelley asks slowly. 

“She’s coming with us, I told you that yesterday…”

Christen is lost. “Kelley, what’s the big deal? Who is her roommate?”

Kelley just gulps. Before Christen can ask again, the door opens and in walks a whistling Tobin Heath. Christen’s throat goes dry and Kelley whispers “I’m so sorry I forgot to warn you.”

“Tobs!” Alex says warmly, clearly still not having connected the dots. “You’re finally here! Grab your shit Kel, let’s go.” 

Tobin’s gaze settles on Christen and her eyes narrow. The whistling stops. “Al what is she doing here?”

“What do you mean what is she... Oh..“ The realization washes over Alex. _How could she be so stupid?_ Everyone knew about Tobin and Christen. “Shit um, Christen is coming to lunch with us.”

Christen could tell Tobin was trying very hard to remain calm and collected. She could practically hear the cogs turning in her brain. She wasn’t sure what Tobin’s reaction would be, but she knew things could go south very quickly if Tobin wanted them to.

“Okay”

Christen blinks. _That was it?_ She watches Tobin walk around to her suitcase and grab a new sweatshirt to put on, waiting for Tobin to say something rude. Tobin stays silent, her eyes avoiding Christen’s.

“Okay Tobs, you’re changed, let’s go!” Kelley grabs Christen’s and Alex’s hands and is practically running for the door. 

______

Twenty minutes later they’re sitting at some outdoor patio restaurant, looking over menus. 

Kelley leans over to Christen, “This is the last delicious meal you’re gonna have in two weeks so make it count.”

Christen smiles, “Kelley, not everyone hates eating healthy. Some salads actually taste good.”

Kelley just scoffs as she looks over the milkshake section.

Christen feels eyes on her. She doesn’t have to look to know who it is, but she looks up anyway. Tobin is thoughtfully staring at her, as if trying to crack a code. Of all the looks Tobin has thrown at Christen, this is one of the less threatening ones. Christen just stares back, but something about today is different. Despite seeing Tobin plenty of times, she realizes she has never really gotten a good look at Tobin’s face. But now, she notices how soft Tobin’s honey brown eyes look when she isn’t angry. How her baby hairs perfectly frame her face. _Her lips make her actually look kind of cute when she pouts like that...wait what? _

Tobin eventually looks back down at her menu, and Christen does the same, not quite sure what just happened, but she begins repeating a new mantra in her head: _Tobin Heath is not cute, Tobin Heath is not cute._

______

Practices the next two weeks go by without a problem. Tobin and Christen don’t speak a word to each other, and the whole team thinks that’s the best it’s going to get. Christen has always known Tobin is a crazy gifted soccer player, but watching her at practice just makes her all the more impressive… not that she’d ever admit it out loud. 

There are plenty of moments when Christen thinks they are going to fight. She often catches Tobin looking at her from another line of drills and would feel her stomach drop. But the brunette would never say anything, so Christen would just find herself staring back at her, looking at her toned and tan legs, and her muscular shoulders… of course every time Christen realizes what she’s doing, she quickly looks away. _Tobin Heath is not cute, Tobin Heath is not cute. _

Everyday, she finds herself having to repeat the mantra more than the last. Now, with it being the evening after the last practice, Christen has been saying it to herself all day.

The whole team is at bar, celebrating the last night they have before they leave for Vancouver. Kelley, of course, is completely wasted in the center of the dance floor, so Christen finds herself sitting in a booth with Alex and Allie. The two girls seem to be having a conversation about some team merchandise they’re coming up with, but Christen doesn’t really mind. She just sips her beer and takes in the scene in front of her. 

Predictably, Ashlyn and Ali are off dancing near Kelley; Julie and Carli are chatting with the bartender, and Pinoe and Kling seem to be trying (and failing in their drunken state) to start a conga line with group of strangers. But Christen knows she doesn’t care what they’re doing. No she’s looking for one person in particular.

Her eyes _finally_ find Tobin sitting at a barstool. Tobin’s wearing some new sponsored sneakers, those ripped black jeans _ that make her legs look so good, wait what? _, an oversized white t-shirt and a snapback. Christen can’t even lie to herself anymore, _she looks hot_. Christen's eyes slightly narrow when she notices she’s talking to a man who's probably in his late twenties.

They seem to be hitting it off; Tobin is actually smiling for once. Christen spends another minute just watching their interaction before turning back to face Allie and downing the rest of her drink. It has only been two minutes before Christen can't stop herself from looking back over at Tobin. And she immediately wishes she hadn’t.

Tobin is holding his phone, giggling as she seems to be typing her number. Christen had never even seen Tobin smile before today, and seeing some stranger make her do it so easily... it makes her sick. 

It becomes apparent that Christen wasn’t the only one who noticed the man chatting Tobin up.

“WooOO get it get it Toby!” Kelley hollers. Tobin just rolls her eyes and turns back to the guy. Christen decides she’s had enough. She gets up to leave.

“Christen is everything okay?” Alex asks, startled by her sudden movement.

_Quick Chris, think of something_.  
“Yeah, I’m just a little tired. I think I’m gonna head back now.” Christen quickly grabs her bag and makes her way to the door, not even glancing at Tobin one last time. 

Had Christen stayed for just five minutes, she most likely would have heard from the girls who swarmed Tobin, that she hadn’t given her his number. In fact, their conversation was entirely about Tobin’s sneakers. She just was just typing in a discount code, and showing him where he could get a pair...  
______

Back in her and Kelley’s room, Christen throws herself on her bed and just lays there for a second. _Why was I so bothered by that? I HATE Tobin for heaven’s sake. Why do I care if some dude chats her up at a bar? Why do I care if she enjoys it?_

Christen groans into her pillow, and thinks through all the shit Tobin has done to her. All the mean comments during NWSL games, all the times she’s been extra aggressive on the field.  
Someone as nasty as Tobin, as insensitive as Tobin, doesn’t deserve to be happy. _Yeah that’s it, that’s why I got upset. I just don’t like seeing her happy_ Christen told herself. _Tobin Heath is not cute (yeah you’re right she’s hot), fuck, Tobin Heath isn’t cute, and you don’t like seeing her happy_.  
______


	3. Vancouver Hotel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team travels to Vancouver for the World Cup. Jill puts Christen and Tobin in a room together.
> 
> Neither of them are happy about it.  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd we're back. This chapter is a bit shorter than I would have liked... but fear not! The next one will be longer I promise. 
> 
> If you see any typos, please lmk in the comments and I'll fix it asap.
> 
> Enjoy!

The next day the whole team is off to Vancouver to start training for the world cup on site. 

They arrive at the airport two hours before their flight, and quickly get escorted through security. Christen finds the whole situation rather funny: They get special treatment from the airlines when getting through security, but are then left with everyone else to wait at the gate. It’s not that it bothers her, she just finds it odd.

Once they reach their gate, the whole team spreads out, looking for coffee and places to charge their phones. Christen follows Julie and Alex to the smoothie shop, sighing when she sees how long the order line was. 

_ You’d think the airport would be less crowded this early in the morning. _

Christen plays candy crush while she waits in line. She feels someone get in line behind her. Christen doesn’t have to look up to know it’s Tobin. _ She just has this aura, it’s different than anyone else_. She steals a glance.

Tobin is wearing her old UNC sweatshirt, which would normally make Christen’s blood boil. But not today. No, today all Christen can do is look at the way Tobin’s grey joggers hug her legs, and how good her hair looks under her beanie, pushed back behind her Beats Studio 3s. _ Enough Chris, Tobin isn’t cute, just play your stupid candy crush and quit looking like a fool._

Christen looks up from her phone to see the line has moved up. While she’s moving, she notices a small girl– no older than 8– staring at Tobin with wide eyes, whispering to her mom. Her mom sees Tobin and smiles at her daughter. Christen is fairly sure she said something along the lines of what most parents say when kids ask them to talk to someone for them: You are a big girl, you can do it by yourself.

The girl slowly starts to walk towards Tobin. Christen looks to Tobin and sees her nodding her head to the music in her headphones, completely oblivious to the terrified girl approaching her. Christen decides to make the little girl’s life a little bit easier. She reaches over to Tobin and taps her on the shoulder. 

Tobin glares at her but removes her headphones. “What?” she spits out. Christen’s eyes widen at her harsh tone, afraid Tobin might scare away the girl beside her.

“I think there’s someone who wants to say hi,” Christen whispers through her teeth, trying to subtly point with her head. Tobin whips her head around so fast Christen’s afraid it might come off. When Tobin’s eyes land on the girl, her change in attitude is so sudden it stuns Christen even though she knew it was coming.

“Hey there!” Tobin’s voice raises an octave. The girl just smiles silently at her, being too shy to say anything. Tobin just smiles and crouches down so she can look her in the eye. Her sweetness makes Christen’s heart melt. _ She may be good with kids, but she’s still an asshole, don’t let this little stunt fool you_ Christen warned herself, _ Tobin Heath is not cute_.

Tobin ends up taking a picture with the girl, and just as she was turning to leave, Tobin taps her on the shoulder and hands her the beanie she was wearing. The smile on the girl’s face looks three sizes too big for her as she runs back to her mom. Christen sees the mom mouth a ‘thank you’ to Tobin before taking the girls hand and walking away. Tobin just grins and turns her attention back to her phone. 

Christen, once again, is at a loss for words. All players are typically nice to her fans, but Tobin really went over the top, especially for a fan in an airport. _ Maybe there is some genuine good in her_.  
______  
The plane flight only lasts a couple hours and soon the team is waiting in their hotel lobby while Jill Ellis checks them in.

Christen decides she has spent enough time on her phone today, and entertains herself by watching Ashyln and Pinoe take full advantage of the free gummies jar on the lobby counter while Ali swats their hands away, telling them they’re acting like children. 

“Alright ladies, I have your room assignments and keycards,” Jill waits for the team to gather around her before continuing, “Solo and O’Hara in 300, Leroux and Morgan in 301, Long and Harris in 303, Heath and Press in 304, Brian and Naeher in 305, Krieger and Rapinoe in 306, Lloyd and Ertz in 307…”

Christen stops listening soon after her name gets listed off. She can’t believe it. _ You have GOT to be joking, of course I’m in a room with Tobin fucking Heath._

The whole team looks just as horrified as Christen felt. Everyone knows that Tobin and Christen in a room was a horrible idea. Ashlyn quickly comes to their rescue, “Coach, would it be possible for Tobin and I to switch rooms?” 

Allie catches on and helps her out, “Yeaah, um, I think I should room with Tobi–”

Tobin cuts her off, “No coach it’s fine.” Jill raises her eyebrow at her expectantly. Tobin gulps and continues “We’re professionals, Press and I will manage. Thanks for the offer Ash.” Jill nods, signaling that was what she was hoping Tobin would say. She hands everyone their room keys and leaves. 

Ash raises her eyebrows and smirks at Christen and Tobin, “Goodluck guys, let me know if you two change your mind, we don’t have to tell coach about it.” They all pile into the elevators and get off on the third floor. Christen counts the doors in her head as they pass each one, ,_ 301, 302, 303...304_. 

Tobin opens the room and holds the door open for Christen. It’s a small courtesy, but a courtesy nonetheless. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Christen. She waits for Tobin to pick a bed before throwing her backpack on the other. After taking a few minutes to unpack, Tobin stands up and walks towards the door, “I’m going to Allie’s room.” She doesn’t wait for a response before exiting.  
Christen just sighs, grateful to have some time to herself. She’s honestly pretty worn out from the flight and decides to take a nap before their afternoon fitness session.  
______

“What are you doing asleep?! We have practice in 10 minutes!”

Christen wakes up abruptly to see a blurry figure standing in front of her. She rubs her eyes, looks up again and is met with Tobin’s signature scowl. She’s in her workout tank top _ and shit, her shoulders look good. Shut up Chris, focus._

“I can’t believe you didn’t set an alarm, just how stupid _are_ you?”

Christen just blinks at her, “I have no words for you right now,” she says coldly. 

“Whatever, set a fucking alarm next time” Tobin grabs her water bottle, opens the door and leaves, not bothering to shut it. 

“So much for being professional!” Christen shouts after her as she slams the door to get changed.

Somehow, Christen makes it to the weight room on time, and practice goes smoothly.  
______

Later that night, after dinner, Christen starts her nightly routine while Tobin is in the shower. Meditation has always helped Christen live in the moment and enjoy life to the fullest. She refuses to let her crabby roommate mess up her “mojo”, so she sits down cross legged on the floor, puts her hands in her lap, and closes her eyes. 

She is still sitting there when Tobin walks out of the bathroom 10 minutes later.

Tobin breaks the comfortable silence ,“What the hell are you doing?” 

Christen’s eyes snap open, and she feels a blush rise in her cheeks as her eyes scan Tobin, wearing nothing but a small hotel towel. Her eyes roam up and down Tobin’s lean body. _ How the hell is she so tan without tan lines? _

Tobin clears her throat, “You gonna answer me?”

Christen rolls her eyes, “What does it look like, genius? I’m meditating. It’s how I get by having to deal with pricks like you.” _ Okay that was a bit far_.

“That’s hilarious. You’re either even more uptight than I thought, or you can’t meditate for shit, because that shit isn’t working,” Tobin says while turning around to put on a night shirt and shorts. Christen sneaks one look at her bare back before closing her eyes and trying to ignore Tobin. When Tobin turns on the tv, Christen gives up on her routine, and just goes into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. 

When she comes back, she grabs the remote from Tobin, turns off the tv, and gets under her covers.

“What the fuck Christen!”

“Turn off the light, we’re going to bed.”

Tobin gives up. She reaches over, and turns off the light. Christen is grateful because she really doesn’t have the energy to bicker with Tobin anymore today. She closes her eyes, ready for sleep, but all she can see is Tobin standing in front of her in her towel. Tobin’s muscular, tan legs, her broad and strong shoulders. _ Get it together Press you are better than this_. She’s tossing and turning in her bed. Trying to get Tobin out of her head, and fall asleep, but nothing is working. 

Eventually Tobin gets tired of hearing Christen moving around, “You know for someone who meditates, you sure don’t know how to relax.”

“Tobin can you just shut up?”

“You’re the one who turned off the light, and yet here you are keeping us both up.”

_Unbelievable_. “Well maybe if you hadn’t turned on the tv and interrupted me, we wouldn’t be in this situation right now!”

“Oh yeah sure blame this all on me, that’s really classy of you.”

“You? You want to talk about being classy? I’ve never seen you act classy on your life.”

“Fuck off.”

They end up arguing late into the night. Christen doesn’t sleep very well, but to her delight Tobin’s eye bags the next day indicate neither did she.  
______


	4. Baseball Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin does some inner reflecting and **still** manages to avoid addressing her growing attraction to Christen.

Tobin is pissed. Maybe pissed isn’t the right word. None of her passes were connecting at practice today and she’s frustrated. Frustrated at Christen for keeping her up late last night bickering, frustrated at herself for trying to impress Jill by turning down Ashlyn’s offer to switch rooms, frustrated that Christen seems to be hurting her ability to play soccer.

She’s so busy beating herself up, when Kling puts her hand on her shoulder, it startles Tobin and she quickly backs away. The confusion on Kling’s face is evident. Tobin instantly regrets it. 

“Kling, I’m so sorry. I’m just really out of it,” Tobin offers quietly. 

Kling looks up at her, “Tobin it’s okay, but I think you need to take some time for yourself. You can’t be like this at practice tomorrow, not with the World Cup group stages beginning in like four days.”

Her words hit Tobin hard. _ Holy shit, we have a game in four days_. “Yeah you’re right. I uh, I’m going to head up to my room. Thanks again Kling.”

“Anytime Tobs, I hope you feel better.”

Tobin grabs her bag and catches an Uber back to the hotel, not wanting to have to be around her teammates in the van ride back. 

When she gets to her room, Tobin takes a long hot shower, trying to wash away all the bad vibes from practice. When she’s done, she puts her hair up in a messy bun, changes into sweats and a t-shirt, and takes a much needed nap. _ At least Christen isn’t here to keep me up with her bullshit _. Tobin quickly drifts off to sleep… without setting an alarm.  
______

Tobin wakes up hours later, feeling rested but very disoriented. _What time is it...Hell what day is it?_. She reaches around for her phone, eventually finding it in her tangled sheets. The screen reads 7:15pm. _Shit, I’m missing dinner_. 

Honestly Tobin isn’t all that hungry, but she doesn’t want her teammates to worry about her, especially not after how practice had gone. She gets up, ready to march down to dinner and show everyone that she’s fine, but once she reaches the door, she hesitates. _ This is probably the only time I’m going to get some peace and quiet for a while without Christen here driving me crazy_. She is still feeling pretty rotten about practice, and knows she needs to do something about it before tomorrow.

Tobin walks over to the dresser, grabs the notepad and pen, and sits down on her bed to start writing. While she would never admit it, Tobin knows there is some truth to what Christen had said about inner reflection and meditation helping to calm people down. But Tobin knows nothing about meditating, and wouldn’t embarrass herself by trying, so she figures journaling is the next best way to get in tough with her emotions. 

It’s hard for Tobin at first. She has never been the most _eloquent_ at communicating what she’s feeling. However, once she gets in the groove, Tobin can’t seem to stop the pen from moving. Everything is flowing out of her and onto the paper. All her emotions, everything that’s bothering her. That in mind, she writes Christen’s name very often. 

She is just about to finish when she hears the door unlock, and before she can hide the notepad and pen, Christen is standing in front of her.

“You didn’t come down for dinner, is everything okay?” Christen asks, her eyebrows raised.

_Why is she pretending to care?_. “Yeah don’t worry about it.” Tobin tries to sneakily tuck the notepad under her covers, but Christen’s too fast. She’s at Tobin’s side in an instant, the notepad in hand. She’s staring directly at Tobin. _Have her eyes always been that color of green? They’re beautiful…. What the fuck Tobin, this is Christen you’re talking about._

“What are you hiding Tobin?” Christen presses on.

“Nothing.” Tobin is on her feet now, quickly reaching Christen as she backs away from Tobin’s bed. She tries her best to reach the notepad, but Christen is somehow keeping it out of her grasp as she glances at it. Tobin can pinpoint the exact moment when Christen realizes what she’s holding, a sly grin coming over her face. 

“Oh my god.”

“Christen I swear, drop i–”

Christen is smiling big now. “You big hypocrite! You’ve been mocking me for my meditation when YOU practically do the same thing with writing!”

Tobin doesn’t know why, but she can’t help but smile back no matter how hard she tries to keep a straight face. She has never seen Christen so happy around her, and her smile takes her by surprise. _She really does have a nice smile, even if she is a pain in the ass._

Christen giggles at her, it’s music to Tobin’s ears. “I can’t believe you, I never would have guessed.” 

Tobin rolls her eyes, “You know Press, you like to make a lot of assumptions about people you don’t know, now can I please have that back?” She quickly tries to snatch the notepad, but Christen pulls it back, just out of reach.

“Mm it depends, what do I get out of this?”

Tobin’s eyes narrow. “We are not playing that game” She lunges for the notepad, Christen dodges the attack and soon they’re running around the room, jumping over beds and throwing pillows at each other, shrieking like little kids. The mood is much lighter between them than it ever has been before. _ This is so fucking weird_ Tobin thinks, diving over the bed seconds after Christen, _I hate her..what is even happening right now?_

She finally corners Christen against the window. “Gotcha!” She’s reaching for the notepad, Christen still laughing and trying to get out of the corner when–

**CRASH**

The window shatters; shards of glass raining down on them. Christen and Tobin just look at each other, neither quite sure what just happened. 

Christen breaks the silence “Okay, what the hell was that?”

Tobin looks around the room, “I’m not sure, but something must’ve broken the window.”

Christen just rolls her eyes _ Her eyes...how have I never noticed them before?_ “Okay well duh, did you figure that out all by yourself?”

“Oh shut up, I just mean that maybe that object is still here.” Tobin gets on her knees, looking under the beds and dresser. She eventually finds what she’s looking for, “Ah-ha! It’s a baseball!”

She reaches for it, but as soon as she grasps it she yelps in pain and pulls her arm back.

“What’s wrong?” Christen’s at her side in a second. _ Seriously, since when does she care this much?_ Tobin holds up a bloody hand, “I think the glass pieces cut my hand up.”

Christen examines her hand. “Yeah, no shit Sherlock, ”Christen deadpans, but still she gets up and rummages through her bag, eventually coming back with a first aid kit. She cleans the cut, not saying a word to Tobin. They both know whatever happy cloud had been hanging over their heads a couple of minutes ago is gone. She applies some ointment before placing a bandaid on Tobin’s hand. She then reaches under the dresser and pulls out the baseball. 

“Oh my god look, someone sent us a note.” Taped to the baseball, is a folded sheet of paper. Christen opens the paper and reads out the small note:

_ Hi,_

_I hope my aim was good enough that this landed on the third floor. I heard the US Women’s National Team was staying there and thought I’d give the old baseball note trick thing a try. I have tickets to the World Cup final this year, and I’m a huge fan of the USWNT, it would mean a lot to me if you were one of the teams I get to see play. I’ll be wearing a purple headband and an Ashlyn Harris jersey in the front row._

_Best of luck, I hope to see you there,  
Jay_

When Christen finishes, Tobin chuckes, “This Jay has guts, that’s for sure.” 

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Christen stands up, “We need to go down to the lobby and tell the hotel about this. I have a feeling they’ll want to know about a broken window, and I don’t want to be blamed. Tobin nods, "I’ll try to clean up some of this glass."  
______

20 minutes later, Tobin and Christen are standing outside of their new room, 320. Christen opens the door, holding it while Tobin walks through. Despite everything that has happened tonight, Tobin still finds it weird how pleasant Christen is being. She walks past the bathroom into the main room, and freezes. 

“Uhh Christen, are you sure this is the right room?”

Christen scoffs, “Tobin, of course this is the right room: the key worked. What are you talking ab– … Oh.” 

The room isn’t a two double like their last; this one just has a king bed. 

_ You’ve got to be kidding me_ Tobin thinks.

Christen’s turning around, heading for the door, “This is ridiculous, I’ll go get us another room.”

“Christen, wait.” Christen looks back at her. Tobin continues, “It’s late at night, they already don’t like us, because to their knowledge, we broke their window. Let’s just cut our losses tonight. You can get this all sorted out in the morning.”

Christen just sighs, “You’re right, let’s just get ready for bed.” 

_Did she just… did she just agree with me? I didn’t even think that was possible._  
“Look at you being all agreeable.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Christen shoots back, the mood between them getting colder by the second.”

Tobin sees where this is going and decides the just drop it, having done enough damage already. “Nothing, nevermind.” Christen gives her a look before pulling back the covers, and getting into bed. 

Tobin walks to the other side of the bed, and gets in, putting as much space in between Christen and her as possible. She rolls on her side and just thinks for a minute. _ What was up with Christen today? She was so different than usual_. Tobin rolls to her other side, unable to get comfortable. _I don’t know what to think of her anymore… Whatever, just don’t get your hopes up, she’ll probably be an asshole again tomorrow._

__

Right as she’s about to drift to sleep, Christen speaks, “You know, I never thought you were the type of person to open up about your feelings to anyone, not to even a sheet of paper.”

Tobin is still embarrassed that Christen knows about that. She tries to say something snarky back, but Tobin just stutters as she feels heat rise to her cheeks. Tobin’s voice, sounding all flustered, tugs on Christen’s heart. _ God, she’s adorable_ Christen sighs, _ it’s too bad she’s going to probably be an asshole tomorrow_.

Christen drifts off to sleep, Tobin following her a few moments later.  
______

Christen’s eyes flutter open the next morning, and the first thing she notices is how warm she is. The second is the hand she’s holding, it has a bandaid. _Tobin? What?_ She tries to move, but she feels her legs tangled with Tobin’s, Tobin’s front pressing into her back, an arm around her waist. And Christen is holding her hand… their fingers laced together as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Christen’s about to get up, put an end to this nonsense, when she feels Tobin sigh, and nuzzle her head further into Christen’s neck.

Christen blushes profusely, her heart beginning to beat rapidly. _ This is ridiculous, how did this even happen? How did we both get to the middle of the bed?_ She can’t even lie to herself, Tobin’s arms around her feel _amazing_. Tobin’s arms feel strong, safe. Christen sighs, and surrenders herself to Tobin’s embrace. _She can decide how much we freak about this when she wakes up_. Christen closes her eyes and falls back asleep  
__  
Tobin’s eyes snap open when she hears a pounding on the door. All she can see is a mess of black hair. _ Where the fuck– hey it smells nice– am I?_. 

The pounding on the door starts up again. “I swear this better be the right room, GUYS WAKE UP!” Ashlyn’s voice seems to shake both women out of their trance as they leap out of bed. Well, try to at least. Their tangled legs and blurry just-woke-up vision causes them to trip over each other and fall to the floor, Christen landing with a thud on top of Tobin. 

Tobin looks up to see Christen straddling her, rubbing her eyes. Tobin blushes _Has she always been this cute?_

Christen’s eyes widen as she takes in their new position, and she’s up in a flash, jogging towards the door. Tobin just lays there, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Ash! How’d you know we changed rooms?” Christen’s chatting with Ashlyn in the doorframe now. Tobin stands up and walks into the bathroom.

Ashlyn looks over Christen’s shoulder, “Morning Toby!” Tobin just grumbles, clearly not a morning person. Ashlyn turns back to Christen, 

“Yeah your old room door has caution tape all over it. I was afraid you guys had tried to murder each other last night! But I checked with the lobby and they said you guys were in 320 for now, so here I am.” She smiles, “Breakfast starts in 15 minutes, be sure to get down there on time okay?”

“Got it, thanks Ash,” Tobin hears Christen close the door. “Tobin can I take a shower once you’re done in there?” 

Tobin almost instantly pops out of the bathroom, avoiding eye contact with Christen. “Sure,” she mumbles under her breath. 

Ten minutes later, Tobin is sitting with her phone on _her_ side of the bed when Christen comes out of the shower, wearing a sports bra and tight yoga pants. Tobin has to close her mouth to keep the drool from falling out. As Christen turns around, Tobin can’t stop herself from thinking, _Holy shit, her ass looks amazing in those._

“What are you looking at?” Tobin blinks hard and looks up. Christen’s looking at her expectantly, hands on her hips.

“Nothing,” she says as convincingly as she can. 

“Uh huh”

“What do you want Christen?” Tobin shoots coldly, she doesn’t like being questioned like this, it makes her feel trapped. 

Christen is taken aback by her tone. She throws on a shirt and turns to leave. “Nothing, whatever, don’t be late for breakfast.”

“Don't be late? That’s rich coming from you..” 

Christen flips her off as she leaves the room. Tobin stays sitting there for a minute longer. _ Since when has Christen looked like that?_. Tobin gets up to go to breakfast. _Don’t let her get to you Tobin, she’s not even that hot. Christen Press isn’t hot, you don’t give a shit about her_. 

It was a lie and Tobin knew it.  
______


	5. Locker Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Better just read it for yourself....  
______

Tobin leisurely makes her way down to breakfast, and heads straight for the coffee machine. Out of the corner of her eye, Tobin sees Christen sitting with Kelley. She has a soft smile on her face, and it makes Tobin’s heart swell a little. _ What the fuck Tobin. Stop looking at her, she’s nothing special_.

Tobin plops down next to Allie, mumbling a “good morning” before taking a long sip of coffee.

“Harry!” Allie greets her enthusiastically, “I didn’t think you were going to make it down here in time. When Christen came down without you, I figured you were gonna be a no-show.” 

Tobin tenses up. _ Why does Allie think her and I would come down together? Am I really being that obvious?_

The brunette scrunches her face, “Why would Christen and I be coming down together? We hate each other!" 

Allie looks at her like she’s the stupidest person in the room. “Harry… you guys are roommates. Roommates normally come down to things together… Calm down.” 

Tobin feels like a fool. She just decides to go along with it, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”  
Tobin doesn’t look at Christen again during breakfast,_ Christen isn’t hot, she isn’t cute, you don’t like her_.  
______ 

By Tobin’s standards, practice is going well, definitely better than it had yesterday. Her passes are connecting, she’s making the right on-spot decisions during scrimmages, and overall, she’s just playing good soccer. Normally, Tobin would be pleased with her performance thus far. 

But not today. No, today, Tobin can’t stop looking at Christen between drills. It’s not like she’s intentionally seeking the stiker out, Tobin’s eyes are just naturally drawn to her today. Now that Tobin watches Christen so closely, she can’t help but feel like she’s looking at a whole new person. Tobin’s noticing all those little details about Christen that she hadn’t before. The way Christen’s hair moves when she runs, the flex of her upper leg when she shoots the ball, Tobin can’t take her eyes off her. The way Christen sways her head and smiles whenever somebody compliments her, it does more to Tobin than she’d like to admit. _ God, her smile is going to be the end of me…_

It’s driving Tobin nuts, and not in a good way. Everything Christen does makes Tobin feel more and more conflicted, less and less sure of her opinions of Christen. Tobin wishes she didn’t see Christen like this, things were much less complicated when all she felt for her was hatred. 

_For the last time Tobin, stop looking at her, someone’s gonna notice and then you’ll really be screwed._ As if on cue, Allie leans into Tobin, “So Harry, you gonna tell me why you’ve been staring at Pressi all morning?' 

Tobin’s breath catches in her throat. _ Think of something, think of something fast_. 

Tobin does her best to sound relaxed, “Uh yeah *cough, yeah Christen’s hair…” _ hair yeah okay that works_, “She’s having a bad hair day, don’t you think.” 

It’s a lame coverup, and a completely false one too, but Tobin has nothing better to go with. 

Allie raises her eyebrows questioningly. “Your eyes have been glued to Christen… because her hair.. Looks weird?” 

“Yep.” 

“Harry I think you might be on crack, her hair looks completely normal." 

Tobin tries to convince Allie, and also maybe herself while she’s at it. “Dude all her baby hairs are sticking up, she looks ridiculous.” 

“Seriously?" 

Tobin freezes as she hears Christen behind her. _Fuck now look what you’ve done, she heard you_.

Tobin whips around. She knows there’s no easy way out of this. She can’t apologize, it would seem insincere, and she can’t tell Christen why she made up the lie in the first place. Tobin has dug herself a hole that she knows she can’t get out of. So she does what she does best: she digs deeper. 

“Fuck’s sake of course you were eavesdropping,” Tobin starts 

Christen is getting mad, fast “Seriously Tobin, what the hell did I do to you today? Why are you acting like this?” 

_ You can’t back down now Tobin, just think of something._ “Fuck off Christen, if you weren’t so nosy we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.” Tobin turns around to continue with the drill. 

“Oh so you’re just going to leave now? Classic!” 

“Classic?” 

Christen’s in her face now.” Every time you’re being an asshole, you just walk away because you know how you’re acting is wrong but you’re too much of a coward to admit it.” 

They’re yelling, and at this point the whole team is watching, completely speechless. Luckily, Jill steps in before things can escalate any further. 

“ENOUGH!” Tobin and Christen tense up, turning to face their livid coach. 

Jill looks like she’s ready to strangle both of them, “Heath, Press, you’re both done for the day. Get your asses off the field. I hope for both of your sakes you’ll be ready to cooperate tomorrow.” 

Christen shoots one last dirty look at Tobin before angrily walking off the field and towards the locker rooms. Tobin looks over at Allie, and receives the ‘We are most definitely talking later’ look. She swallows hard and follows Christen.  
_______ 

When Tobin opens the door to the locker room, Christen is waiting for her, her arms crossed. Tobin knows she needs to say something, to apologize, but she also knows she needs to collect her thoughts before doing so. 

Tobin tries to avoid eye contact and walk past Christen and grab her bag but Christen steps in her way, forcing her to look her directly in the eyes. 

“Are you fucking serious right now?” Christen steps towards her. Tobin steps back. “You’re not going to even explain what the fuck just happened out there?” Tobin just gulps, taking another step back. She has never seen Christen so angry. 

“I just don’t understand, why can’t you act like a decent human being, like everyone else?” Christen keeps moving forward. Tobin keeps stepping back until she feels the cool surface of the lockers on her back. 

Tobin tries to speak, “Christen, I–” 

“I don’t want to hear it Tobin!” Christen’s screaming at her. “You’re a fucking adult! If you hate me so much keep it to yourself because I am so, _so_ done arguing with you. You don’t listen and you don’t seem to care even when I’m trying to be civil with you! It’s infuriating!” 

Christen is less than a foot away from Tobin now, and despite how terrifying she looks, Tobin finds herself wishing Christen would just shut up, press her against the locker harder and kiss her. 

Tobin opens her mouth to say something, anything that might help their situation, but Christen beats her to it. 

“Don’t,” Christen says, her teeth clenched. She looks like she’s close to crying, “You’re just going to make things worse anyways.” 

A single tear falls down, and Tobin’s heart sinks _ You did this to her_. 

Christen turns to leave, but Tobin lurches forward, wrapping her hand around Christen’s small wrist and yanking her back. Tobin spins them around so that Christen is the one pressed against the locker. She hears Christen gasp, and gazes down to see Christen’s lips trembling. 

Christen looks at her, green eyes wide “Tobin..” _ God she’s gorgeous. _

Tobin can’t take it anymore, she surges forward, crashing her lips into Christen’s. 

Christen freezes for a second, but to her surprise, Christen’s hands tangle themselves in her hair moments later, as she kisses back. _That feels amazing,_, but Tobin isn’t having it. She laces both her hands with Christen’s and slams them against the locker on either side of her head. Christen whimpers and it makes Tobin’s heart flutter _ I want to hear that sound again_. 

Tobin’s mumbling against Christen’s lips in between kisses, “You...you don’t… get to look… like _that_... during practice. You don’t..get to come… in here and corner me.” Tobin’s shocked to feel that Christen’s still crying, tasting salt on her lips. She thinks about pulling away to check on her, but Christen’s just too good of a kisser, and Tobin can’t bring herself to pull away. _I could do this forever._

Apparently the universe has other plans…. The door to the locker room opens and in walks the rest of the team. Tobin is grateful that the lockers block them from the teams view because it gives them the second they need to separate, Tobin jumping over the bench to pretend to be grabbing her bag. She tries to steady her breath quickly. _That was close. Way too close._

Kelley’s prancing around the room, singing some song completely off key when she catches sight of Christen, “You make my dreams come truee ooooh ooh ooo– Chris, is everything okay? You look horrible.” 

Christen looks up from her phone, the tear streaks still on her face, “Yeah,” she sniffles, “yeah I’m fine.” She zips her bag up and walks out of the locker room.

Reality hits Tobin as soon as she gets into the van. _ Oh my god, what was I thinking? I just kissed Christen. She’s going to be furious with me when she calms down._. Tobin steals a glance at Christen. She looks terrified, like a trapped animal in a cage. Tobin’s heart sinks, _What have I done?_. 

The ride back to the hotel is filled with Sonnett and Kelley’s loud singing and screaming, but for Christen and Tobin, things couldn’t be quieter.  
______ 


	6. Attempted Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allie and Tobin come up with an apology. Unfortunately, Christen has other plans.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me, the good stuff is coming soon I promise.  
______

Tobin is still freaking out when the van arrives at their hotel. _Tobin you fool, you complete and utter fool. How the **fuck** are you supposed to share a bed with her after this?_ Tobin looks over at Christen, hoping to see the girl calmed down. Christen just looks upset, the tear stains are gone, but Tobin doesn’t feel any better. Christen is clearly avoiding Tobin’s eyes as she grabs her bag and gets off the bus.

_You need to talk to her, you need to apologize… for a lot of things,_ Tobin thinks to herself. Tobin doesn’t get the opportunity, seeing the way Christen beelines for the elevator. Tobin starts after her, determined to get Christen’s attention when she feels someone yank arm her back.

“Oh HELL no Harry where do you think you’re going?” Allie says loudly as she drags Tobin towards the hotel bar. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”  
______

Christen slumps against her hotel door as soon as it closes, her head in her hands. _ I hate her. I hate her so much, she’s so confusing… She wasn’t supposed to be a good kisser._ That’s the worst part for Christen: she can’t stop thinking about the feeling of Tobin’s lips on hers, how it made Christen’s knees go weak. How it made Christen want to wrap her arms around Tobin and never let go. _ They were so soft, so enticing.._

Christen shakes her head, and stands up, “You are better than this Chris,” she says out loud. She walks over to her bed, _their_ bed. Christen gulps, _ How am I supposed to share a bed with her after that?_ Christen blushes, reminiscing in the way it felt having Tobin press her up against the locker, the way her stomach dropped when Tobin pinned her arms, forcefully holding them in place . 

Normally Christen hated it when people restricted her movement, but not this time. Had Tobin been anyone else, Christen would have wriggled her hands free and shoved Tobin back. But Tobin felt different, and when she took control Christen felt heat spread throughout her entire body. 

Now, looking back, her reaction to Tobin’s touch terrifies Christen. _Why… how does she make me feel all these things while being **such** an asshole… a hot asshole._ Christen shoves her face into a pillow and groans, her whole situation frustrating her to the point of tears. “I hate her, I hate her, I hate her.”__

A soft knock on the door interrupts Christen’s venting session. She hears Kelley’s muffled voice through the door, “Chris it’s me. Can I come in?” Christen slowly walks over and opens the door, wiping her tears away. Kelley has her wrapped in a tight hug in seconds. Christen can’t hold back her tears anymore, sobbing into Kelley’s shoulder. “I hate her so much.” 

Kelley rubs her back, “I know you do, I’m so sorry your relationship with her is like this. She’s such a gem to everyone else.”  
Christen doesn’t respond for a while, just softly crying. 

After a few minutes, she speaks, “What am I gonna do Kel? I can’t sleep here tonight, not with her.” 

Kelley nods, “Chris, don’t worry about it, you’re welcome to stay in my room. I’ve already asked Hope and she says it’s fine.” 

Christen looks up at her, “Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude..” 

“Dude, it’s totally cool. C’mon, grab your stuff. Let’s go watch SpongeBob in my room.” 

Christen gives Kelley one last hug before grabbing her bag,”You’re the best.”  
______ 

Allie takes a seat at the bar, Tobin plopping down next to her. Tobin grabs her phone and pretends to text someone, trying to postpone their inevitable conversation for as long as possible. Allie sees right through her. 

“Harry, we both know you aren't texting anyone, so put the phone down and start talking. Why is Christen so upset? What is even going on between you too?” 

Tobin reluctantly sets her phone down and opens her mouth “I–” 

“And don’t even think about saying there isn’t anything between you two,” Allie squints and points a finger in her face, “I’m not stupid.” 

Tobin swats her hand away ,”I wasn’t planning on it. Actually I wasn’t planning on any of this. You already know Christen and I really don’t get along… like at all. And with this whole sharing a room business, and now sharing a bed, I–” 

“Hold up, you two are sharing a BED? How did that happen?” 

“That’s another story I’ll tell you about later, now stop interrupting me Harry I’m trying to give you what you want. Anyways, I just feel like all this time together is making me hate her mor–” 

“LIES,” Allie shouts and hits Tobin’s arm. 

Ow! Dude shhh stop making a scene. Look people are staring at us,” Tobin hisses. Allie looks around to see an elderly woman turned around, staring at them. 

"Whoops… whatever. Harry I thought I told you to spit the truth out.” 

“It’s true! I do hate her,” Tobin protests, “But lately….” 

“Lately…?” Allie coaxes. 

Tobin takes a deep breath, not ready to admit it out loud, “Lately I’ve noticedthatChristensincrediblybeautifulandIcantseemtotakemyeyesoffher.” 

Allie just blinks at her, “Okay now say it again but in English this time.” 

Tobin sighs, “I don’t know, there’s something about her that I find simply irresistible. And after coach Ellis sent us off, Christen screamed at me in the locker room.... and I kissed her.” 

Allie looks stunned, “Oh my god that’s so bad, you did not…. DUDE” 

Tobin grimaces, “I don’t know what came over me, but yeah, I did.” 

“Honestly Harry,” Allie starts, “You fucked up big time. First you upset her and instead of apologizing or letting her cool off you kiss her even though she hates you.” 

“That’s the thing though, she kissed back…” 

“Jesus christ... you two have more issues than I thought. Look, you two clearly need to sort your shit out, which means you need to apologize.” 

Tobin starts to stand up, “You’re right Harry, I’m gonna head up now.” 

Allie facepalms, grabbing Tobin with her other hand. “Not right now you idiot. You need to give her time to cool down, and meanwhile WE need to plan out what you’re going to say so you don’t fuck it up again this time.” 

They take the elevator up to the third floor, kick Ashlyn out of Allie’s room, and play Mario Kart on Allie’s Nintendo Switch while planning out Tobin’s apology. They opt out of dinner, not wanting to risk seeing Christen, and get room service instead. 

After two and a half hours, Tobin decides it’s time. She sets the game controller down and stands up. “Thanks so much for your help Harry, really, I probably would’ve fucked it up again by now if it weren’t for you. I’m gonna go now, I think I’ve given Christen enough time.” 

Allie nods, “Sounds good Harry, go fix your mess.”  
______ 

Tobin heads back to her room, _their room_. She takes a deep breath as she opens the door, _ C’mon Tobin, you can do this. You know what you’re going to say and everything is going to be fine._

She’s shocked when she sees the lights are all turned off. Tobin turns them on cautiously, “Christen?” 

No response. Tobin quickly moves past the bathroom to find the room empty. _It’s 9:30 at night where could she be?_

Tobin pulls out her phone, _I bet Kelley will know._

[Tobin Heath: 9:32 PM]  
**_Hey Kel, u know where Christen is?_**

Tobin sets her phone down on the dresser to get ready for bed. She runs back to the dresser a minute later, toothbrush in her mouth when she hears a text come in. 

[Kelley O’Hara: 9:34 PM]  
**_ Yup, she’s crashing with me tonight…_**

__

[Kelley O’Hara: 9:34 PM]  
**_Idk what u did Tobs, but u really fucked up_**

Tobin calls Allie. She picks up on the third ring. “How’d it go?” 

Tobin’s words get caught in her throat, and she has to take a deep breath before she can speak, “She’s not here.” 

“Not here? What do you mean she’s not here” 

“She’s crashing with Kelley.” 

“Shit,” Allie mumbles. 

“Fuck,” Tobin’s voice cracks, feeling tears start to prickle her eyes, “I didn’t know I screwed up _this_ bad.” 

Allie sighs on the other side of the phone, “Harry… it’s going to be okay, don’t cry. Christen just needs more time to cool off than we thought. It’s gonna be okay… You’ll get to apologize." 

Tobin holds back the tears, not for her sake, but for Allie’s. She knows how much Allie hates her crying. “You’re right, I’ll do it tomorrow, goodnight Harry.” 

“Sleep well, don’t stress too much about this.” She hangs up.

Tobin gets into bed,_ I guess it isn’t our bed anymore._ She feels a tear trickle down her face and onto her pillow. More tears follow, _ God, you fucked up bad_.

______ 


	7. Mutual Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin's apology doesn't go as planned, but neither of them can really complain... ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so much fun to write, I hope I did it justice. Enjoy!  
______

Tobin drags herself down to breakfast, not having slept a wink last night. She spots Christen sitting with Ashlyn and Alex; she doesn’t look much better than Tobin. _ I need to talk to her, I can’t go on like this_. 

Tobin starts heading over to Christen, hoping she’ll agree to talking, when Kelley suddenly steps forward, blocking Tobin from getting any closer.

“Absolutely not.” Kelley whispers. “Not right now Tobin, she needs to focus on practice. Imagine if she doesn’t play well today, especially after yesterday’s disaster. Jill might bench her.”

Tobin gulps, _I didn’t even think about that_. “Shit, you’re right. What do I do Kel? I’m not holding up much better than she is..”

Kelley sighs, running her hands through her hair. “Honestly, I have no idea what happened with you two between the time you left the field and when we all came into the locker room. Christen refuses to tell me anything; she barely talked at all last night. All I know for sure is this. She’s not going to get much better until you sort it out. And please, Tobin, for **everyone’s** sake, stop fucking fighting with her.”

Tobin just nods, not really sure how to respond to everything just said. She walks away, grabbing a banana before sitting down next to Allie. 

The blonde gives Tobin’s thigh a quick squeeze, knowing how upset she still is. “It’s going to be okay Harry,” she whispers. 

“Yeah I know,” Tobin sighs, “I just don’t know how I’m going to get through practice.”

“Just don’t think about her, don’t look at her.”

“Yeah….” Tobin trails off. _Easier said than done_.  
______

The rest of the day drags on for Tobin. Practice goes just about as well as it could have, given the circumstances. Tobin does her best not to look Christen’s way, only stealing glances when she can’t take it any longer. _How did I become so addicted to her so fast?_

Christen, on the other hand, does her best to put on a happy face for the sake of her teammates, though she knows she’s fooling absolutely no one. Knowing Tobin has her this worked up and upset only makes her kick the ball harder, focusing all her negative emotions into powerful shots on goal. 

_The ball is Tobin’s face, the ball is Tobin’s incredibly kissable face. Jesus Chris you can’t be like this Chris!_ She fires another heavy shot at Hope, the force sending the goalkeeper to the ground.

“Damn Press. You’re a freaking cannon!” Alex shouts from across the field. 

Christen gives her a weak smile, “Thanks!” she shouts back.

Tobin’s heart aches seeing Christen like this. _ I need to do something soon_.

Unfortunately for Tobin, the rest of their 6-hour practice drags on forever. Tobin just wants to get back to the hotel. To make matters worse, the team decides to shower off in the locker rooms before getting in the vans, stretching Tobin’s patience thin. 

By the time they get back, dinner is being served. _Well shit, I guess I’m waiting until after dinner._  
______  
It’s been 15 minutes since Tobin sat down with her dinner, which consisted solely of a glass of water and a small salad, her being too nervous to stomach much more. 

Kelley leans over to her, “Tobin, you need to eat. How are you supposed to stay healthy by only eating...**that**?”

Tobin just slumps in her seat, “I don’t know… but right now I don’t really care either.” Kelley decides its best to leave Tobin alone with her thoughts.

Tobin just sits in her chair, repeatedly stabbing a piece of lettuce with her fork. She practically jumps up when she sees Christen exit the dining hall. Kelley puts an arm on her shoulder, “Give her like 10 minutes Tobs.”

Tobin knows Kelley is right. She huffs and sets an alarm for 10 minutes on her phone.  
______

When the alarm _finally_ goes off, Tobin is bolting to the staircase, too impatient to wait for the elevator. She reaches the third floor in record time, slowing her pace down to a fast walk when she enters the hallway, not wanting to draw attention to herself as she passes her teammates’ rooms. _314, 315, 316, 317…_ Tobin’s counting the doors as she makes her way down the hall, _318, 319 **320**_.

Tobin stands in front of her room, _their room_, key card in hand. She takes a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. _ You can do this Tobin, don’t be nervous_. Tobin pushes the door open, slowly walking past the bathroom. The entire day, Tobin had been building this moment up in her head, imagining all the scenarios: Christen mad, Christen gone, Christen sleeping. Still, she wasn’t prepared for the sight in front of her. 

Tobin finds Christen sitting on their bed, uncontrollably and silent sobbing. Her shoulders are shaking violently, and it makes Tobin’s heart drop. 

“Chris…” The nickname slips out before Tobin can stop it. 

Christen immediately tenses up. “Don’t call me that.** You** don’t get to call me that.”

Tobin winces at her tone. “Christen,” she says, emphasizing the second syllable, “I am so sorry. I’ve been horrible to you this week. Well actually every week. I don’t know what came over me yesterday at practice… It was completely out of line and uncalled for. I don’t even have words for what happened in the locker room…”

Christen stays silent for a minute, wiping her tears away. “I don’t forgive you.”

Tobin knows that was coming, “You shouldn’t. You don’t have to, I jus–”

Christen interrupts her. “You were rude from the start. The very fucking beginning. Even when we were in college you were an asshole to me, for literally no reason. All you’ve ever done is insult me and belittle me. And then that night with the baseball happens and I felt like we were finally starting to make some progress, only for you to snap back the next day! You go right back to being an asshole and then you have the **nerve** to kiss me?!” 

Tears are now spilling down Christen’s face, and if this had happened two weeks ago Tobin would have been unfazed. But not now, now, no matter how much she’d like to deny it, seeing Christen cry like this makes Tobin’s heart break.

Tobin moves towards the bed, _their bed_, crawling up to sit beside Christen. But before she can sit down. Christen leans forward so she’s on her hands and knees, reaching out and bunching up the front of Tobin’s sweatshirt, yanking her arm back so that the brunette’s face is close enough to her own that their noses almost touch.

Tobin’s breath catches in her throat. She has something, a million things to say, but Christen looks at her like she wants to speak, so Tobin stays silent, her heart racing a mile a minute. But Christen stays silent, tears still running down her cheeks. Tobin lets her eyes wander around Christen’s face while she waits.

Up close, Christen’s eyes are even more breathtaking than Tobin could have ever imagined, her eyelashes long and dark. They seem to see right through Tobin and she’s certain no one else’s eyes will ever compare. She can’t help herself.

“You’re… beautiful,” she whispers.

Christen lets out a shaky breath, closing her eyes, as a final tear slips out. All of it is too much for Tobin. She wants to hold Christen close, to apologize and never let go.

“I’m so sorry Chris, I-” 

Christen’s eyes flash open for a second and before Tobin can finish her sentence, Christen pulls her in those last few inches and connects their lips. Warmth washes over Tobin’s entire body. The shock of it all makes Tobin try to pull away, but Christen isn’t having it. Her grip on Tobin tightens as she continues to kiss her, hard. Tobin thinks, _knows_ they should probably stop. Chris is clearly upset and they **clearly** need to talk. Tobin’s resolve quickly disappears as she feels Christen’s tongue running along her bottom lip. _ God she’s such a good kisser_. 

Tobin moves back, sitting cross-legged on the bed, pulling Christen with her, never letting Christen’s lips, _her soft, delicious lips_, leave her own. Christen settles in Tobin’s lap so that her legs are wrapped around small of Tobin’s back. 

Christen finally finds her words, speaking breathlessly in between kisses, “You… are so… confusing.” Tobin nips at her bottom lip, eliciting a moan from Christen. “I…hate you.”

Tobin groans and pulls her impossibly closer, Christen’s words somehow making her want the raven haired girl more. She bits down on Christen’s bottom lip again, slipping her tongue inside the girls mouth as soon as it opens in surprise and slight pain. The loud moan that escapes from Christen’s mouth tells Tobin she made the right choice._ God she’s so hot, but this isn’t right, she’s too upset_.

Tobin eventually pulls back and rests their foreheads together, needing to breathe.  
“I’m sorry,” Tobin mumbles on Christen’s lips.

“I’m so sorry Christen,” she repeats, feeling her eyes start to water. _ Don’t cry in front of her Tobin, it will only make things worse_. Her apology only seems to set Christen off again, the girl burying her face in Tobin’s sweatshirt, beginning to sob. Tobin breaks down moments later, pulling her closer as she bawls into Christen’s shoulder.

They both stay like that for a while, crying loudly and holding each other. Neither of them are quite sure why they feel so comfortable in the other’s arms, but they don’t seem to be questioning it at the moment. Even when Christen stops crying, her face still stays buried in Tobin’s sweatshirt, her arms tightly wrapped around Tobin’s neck. When she eventually looks up, it’s only to wipe away the tears still streaming down Tobin’s face. _ I can’t stand seeing her like this_, she thinks to herself. Christen rubs her hand up and down Tobin’s back, completely calming the girl down before stilling.

“We should get to bed, we can talk about this in the morning,” Christen mumbles gently as she climbs off Tobin and heads for the bathroom. Tobin just sits on the bed, watching her walk away. 

A minute later, Christen pops her head out of the bathroom, a toothbrush in her mouth. “Are you going to come brush your teeth or not.”

Tobin just looks at her, her cheeks still puffy from crying and shakes her head. Christen sighs and walks back over to Tobin, genty taking her hand and leading her to the bathroom. “Yes you are.” Christen hands Tobin her toothbrush and Tobin slowly brushes her teeth, changing into pajamas Christen laid out for her when she finishes. 

They get into bed on opposite sides, neither sure of where they stand and both deciding it best to play it safe. Christen turns off the bedside lamp, closing her eyes, her mind working in overdrive to comprehend everything that happened in the last half hour. _ God Tobin’s a good kisser, I’ll never get tired of those lips._

Her thoughts are interrupted by Tobin’s sniffling. She’s still silently crying, clearly still not over what she did to Christen. Christen can’t take it. She scoots all the way over to Tobin’s side of the bed, waiting for Tobin to turn to face her before wrapping her arms around the brunette and tangling their legs. Anything to get closer to Tobin. Christen presses a soft kiss to her wet cheek, “It’s okay Toby.” Tobin whimpers, pulling her closer at the sound of her nickname. Christen’s heart melts and she kisses her cheek again, “I forgive you. Go to sleep.” 

Tobin lets out a shaky breath before going silent, the crying having stopped. Christen sighs, finally being able to relax. She kisses Tobin’s cheek one last time before nuzzling into the crook of her neck. _ God, she’s adorable, and so much more sensitive than I ever could have imagined._  
______


	8. Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin and Christen have the conversation they were SUPPOSED to have the night before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys sorry the update took a bit longer than usual, enjoy!

Christen wakes up first, completely disoriented. It takes a minute before her memories of last night come back. _Oh_, a blush quickly rising to her cheeks. Christen looks up slightly to see Tobin fast asleep, _ She’s so cute when she sleeps_. Christen gently pulls Tobin close, nestling her face back into the crook of Tobin's neck and taking in the brunette's scent. If Christen had to describe what Tobin smelled like, she'd say Tobin smelled like warmth, unable to get any more specific. Christen allows herself to just lay there for a few minutes, enjoying the warmth of Tobin’s body against hers. Eventually, she knows this has to end. _ You need to get up, you promised her last night you’d talk in the morning._

Christen slowly pulls her arm out from underneath Tobin, trying not to wake the sleeping brunette. She calmly pulls her legs away from Tobin’s and scoots out of bed. She checks her phone. It reads 8:00. _I should head down and get breakfast before it’s over_. She considers waking Tobin, but decides against it, seeing as she’s blissfully asleep. _I’ll just grab her some coffee, it’s all she ever has for breakfast anyway._

Christen makes her way to the door, glancing one last time at Tobin before exiting, _ She’s so precious asleep._

___

Christen eats her breakfast with Ashlyn, Ali, and Kelley, all three of which are relieved to see Christen smiling again. 

“So…” Ashlyn cuts right to the chase, “You and Tobin work out your endless sea of problems?”

Christen chokes on her drink, her mind flashing back to the night before, Tobin’s lips on hers, Tobins tongue in her mouth. 

“Oh my god Ash!” Ali swats at her girlfriend, “You can’t phrase stuff like that. Some topics are sensitive!”

Christen’s still coughing, trying to get the water out of her windpipe. She takes a second to recover. “Ye–cough, yeah, we talked, she apologized, we’re all good.” _ Yeah except you aren’t so sure about that last part Chris._

Ashlyn nods, “Good to hear it. You two will be ready for tomorrow’s game against Australia then?”

“Yep.” Christen looks up at the clock, _ 8:30… I bet Tobin is up by now._ She stands up. “Sorry guys, I should get back up to my room.” 

“Bye Pressi,” Kelley playfully hits her butt. “It’s good to have the real you back.”

Christen smiles at her, “It’s good to be back.” She stops by the buffet line on her way out, grabbing coffee in a to-go cup. 

As she walks through the lobby, a voice calls out for her. “Ms. Press!”

Christen turns to see the hotel lobby clerk who had helped her when their window shattered. She makes her way over to the front counter. 

“Hi”

“Ms. Press I just wanted to notify you that the window has been fixed in room 304. We would appreciate it if you could move your belongings back by 10:00 so we can prepare 320 for the next guests.”

Christen does her best not to show her disappointment, giving the clerk her best fake relieved smile. _ Dammit, no more cuddling with Tobin… Jesus Chris get a grip, you two aren’t like that. It was just one… okay two times._

“That’s good to hear,” Christen offers, _ No it’s not_. “We’ll move our stuff back right away, thank you so much.”

The clerk hands her new room keys, “Our pleasure Ms. Press, thank you for being patient these past two days.”

Christen makes her way back to her room, _ their room_. Christen sighs as she opens the door. _ I guess it isn’t ours anymore_. To her surprise, Tobin is still fast asleep. _ Okay it’s time for her to wake up._ Christen reaches to tap her, but stops before she touches her. _ Hehe, I have a better idea_  
__  
_**EEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON**_

Tobin launches out of bed and tumbles to the ground, startled awake by the loud noise. “What the hell!” 

Christen just stands there laughing hysterically, her phone playing an air horn sound on max volume. 

“Turn if off! Please for the love of God turn it off!” Tobin stumbles towards Christen.

Christen giggles, making no move to mute her phone. Tobin launches herself at Christen, managing to snag the phone from her hands before falling to the ground. Christen just looks down at her, a little disappointed but mostly amused.

Tobin glares up at her, clearly not happy about how the morning has gone thus far.“I take everything from last night back, you’re horrible,” she grumbles.

Christen just smiles innocently and offers a hand to Tobin, pulling the brunette to her feet.

“I brought you coffee,” she offers.

Tobin just grins, taking the cup. 

“Also…” Christen trails off, not sure how she wants to continue, “The clerk caught me on the way back up here. Our old room is already fixed, we have to move back.”

Tobin would have been grateful had this happened a day earlier, but now she wishes they didn’t have to go back to their old room, to their _two_ beds. Christen sees Tobin’s face fall for a second before the brunette is able to plaster on her poker face.

“Oh, okay,” is all Tobin says.

_She doesn’t seem too happy about this either. Does she really feel the same?_ “Is that alright?” Christen asks, hoping to coax Tobin into some sort of confession.

Tobin turns away from her to hide her dissapointment, already beginning to pack up her stuff. “Yeah,” she says nonchalantly, “Why wouldn’t it be?”

_ I guess I was wrong…_  
__

They move their baggage back to room 304. Christen sets her toiletry bag in the bathroom, coming back out to the bedroom to see Tobin sitting on the floor, looking at her expectantly. _Why does she look so nervous?_

“What?” Christen questions.

“You said we’d talk in the morning,” Tobin says, “It’s the morning…”

Christen sighs, _ Right, we still need to actually talk_, “Yeah, okay.” She joins Tobin on the floor, sitting across from her.

Both girls stay silent for a while, waiting for the other to initiate the conversation. Christen is the first to give in:

“Listen Tobin, I think our fights have gotten to the both of us.”

Tobin nods, looking at the ground. Christen continues, “I’m tired of fighting with you. It’s exhausting, and pointless, and I know what a good person you are to everyone else…”

Tobin looks up at her, eyes wide. _ Holy shit she thinks I'm a good person_ Tobin says to herself. “You think I’m a good person?”

“Well obviously not in the past, not to me, but overall, yeah. Your empathy last night really took me by surprise. I hadn’t expected you to be upset over upsetting me.”

Tobin sighs, “Christen, I know I’ve already said it but I am so sorry about that practice, and honestly in general. You’re right, all this shit started because of how I acted towards you back in college.”

Christen’s eyes widen, “You remember that too?”.

Tobin offers her a soft, but sad smile, “Bad memories stay with you over the years. I’ve felt horrible about it since the day after it happened. I was just too scared to ever apologize.”

Christen facepalms, chuckling, “You’re telling me we would’ve avoided six fucking years of bullshit if you had just sacked up and apologized?” 

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Christen just shakes her head, though the small smile on her face tells Tobin she isn’t bitter about it. Still, Tobin sees her chance.

“Hey Chris?” The nickname slips out again.

Christen ignores the butterflies in her stomach. “What?”

“I’m sorry about the NCAA final. I was scared Kelley would get suspended from the National Team, but I had no reason to be cold to you.”

Christen smiles at her, taking Tobins hand. “I forgive you. I’m sorry about everything that’s happened between us since then. Can we start over?”

“I’d like that.”

They both go quiet, just smiling at each other. But Christen knows they have more to talk about. She just _really_ doesn’t want to because she knows there’s only one way to go about this that ends well for certain…

“Listen Tobin, about last night….”

Tobin shifts around uncomfortably, “What about it?”

“Well, when I said I wanted to start over, I mean it," Christen starts, already hating where she knows it's going, "Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret last night one bit, but I barely know you. I’d never forgive myself if we pursued whatever this is between us and it ended badly, especially when we just got on good terms.” _ Chris that is **such** a lie, there’s no way you can just be friends with this girl._

Tobin looks her in the eye, Christen’s not sure what it is she sees in Tobin’s hazel eyes, but she thinks she sees a glimmer of hurt. whatever it was disappears fast. Tobin nods, “Yeah you’re right.”

Christen sighs and smiles, “I’m really glad we talked.”

Tobin squeezes her hand, “Me too.” She looks up at the clock, “Fuck! It’s 9:15! I told Allie I’d go on a run at 9:20 with her since its a rest day!” Tobin jumps up and runs into the bathroom. 

Christen just laughs. “I have to go too, I’ll see you later today I guess.”

Tobin pops out of the bathroom, hairbrush in hand, “Bye Christe–.. Can I call you Chris now?”

Christen smiles as she opens the door, “Yeah, yeah you can.”  
Tobin grins at her, "Bye Chris." 

Again, Christen ignores the butterflies in her stomach. 

______

Their days go by fast. Christen goes to a yoga class nearby in the morning, choosing to spend her afternoon with Kelley rewatching clips of Australia’s national team playing, hoping to pick up some tips for how to beat them tomorrow. 

Tobin and Allie go on their run. Tobin tells her best friend that her and Christen talked, and that everything is good now. She leaves out the whole making out and cuddling part, knowing Allie would be too excited and shocked to keep it to herself. They play mario kart the whole rest of the day, only pausing to do some workouts every once and while and eat lunch.

After dinner, they both end up back in their room, Christen and Tobin both deciding its best to have an early bedtime before their first game. 

While Tobin rinses off in the shower, Christen does her meditation, having a _lot_ to reflect on. _ I know I made the right decision this morning by just asking to be friends… Tobin agreed with me. It’s for the best, so why am I so conflicted about it?_

Christen listens to Tobin’s whistling from inside the bathroom, recognizing the tune as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Even with her eyes closed, Christen can tell when Tobin leaves the bathroom and heads for the bedroom, the whistling getting louder, when it suddenly stops. Tobin’s footsteps become light as a feather. Confused, Christen opens her eyes.

“Shit I’m sorry Chris, I stopped as I saw you meditating. I’ll be quiet, you can go back to your… uh… reflecting?”  
Christen can’t even hide the soft smile that appears hearing Tobin. _ She is **so** sweet and **so** considerate. God I could kiss her– no Chris, you can’t. You need to remember that.._

Christen just gently shakes her head, "No don’t worry about it. I was just finishing up anyways. I’m kinda exhausted.”

“Yeah me too.”

Christen gets up to go wash her face and brush her teeth. Tobin just sits on her bed, staring at Christen’s bed. _ I don’t want to sleep alone tonight. Not now that I know what it’s like to sleep next to her..._ Tobin sighs. _ Well you don’t have a choice Tobin, she asked to just be friends, and you stupidly went along with it_.

Christen comes out of the bathroom, and stands staring at Tobin for a second before pulling her comforter back and getting in bed. She turns off the light. “Goodnight Tobin.”

“Goodnight Chris.”

That should have been it for the night. Christen and Tobin should have fallen asleep, but they don’t, they can’t. Tobin’s bed feels cold, empty, even as she hugs a pillow, _ It’s not the same. I can’t sleep like this._ Tobin tosses and turns, trying to get comfortable enough to sleep.

Christen isn’t doing any better. _ How bad would it be if I climbed into her bed right now..because there’s no way I’m sleeping like this tonight. _. After 15 minutes of laying in the dark, she hears Tobin get up and move to the bathroom. _ So she’s still up too…_ When Tobin comes back, Christen waits for her to say something, _anything_, but Tobin stays silent. 

Christen huffs and flips to her other side, before giving up and getting up to go to the bathroom. 

They take turns doing this, getting up to go to the bathroom, anything to draw attention to the fact that they’re both still up; anything to show the other that they can’t sleep. 

Finally, after Tobin pretend coughs for the third time, Christen can’t take it anymore. She needs sleep and she needs it now. 

Tobin?” she questions loudly. 

Tobin immediately sits up in her bed. 

Christen’s getting impatient for a verbal response and decides to just go for it. 

"Tobin can you..” She doesn’t even get to finish her sentence before Tobin is out of her own bed, quickly getting under Christen’s covers, and wrapping her arms around Christen so that they are spooning. Christen lifts and moves her legs to make room for Tobin’s. She feels Tobin’s hand find hers, lacing their fingers together. It scares both of them just how natural this feels. 

“I couldn’t sleep,” Christen mumbles. 

“Me neither.” 

After a minute, Christen speaks again. “This doesn’t change anything.” It was a lie and their both knew it too. 

“I know,” Tobin lies. 

Both women drift off to sleep, neither really sure what’s happening between them, but both sure there’s no place they’d rather be right now.

_____ 


	9. Game Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's their first game of the World Cup...

They get up early the next day, meeting the team downstairs for a monitored breakfast. Christen never understood the point of having to be watched on game days to make sure she doesn’t eat anything she isn’t supposed to, but she says nothing to Jill as she passes her on the way to get fruit. 

The whole team gathers in a small meeting room the hotel gave them. Jill stands at the front with her usual game day slideshow, waiting for the team to get seated. Christen chooses to sit in one of the middle rows, not wanting to be in the front but still wanting to pay attention. Kelley immediately plops down next to her, wasting no time to begin annoying her.

“Pressiiiiii!”

Christen just groans at her. “Oh my god not now Kel. It’s too early for your …. Whatever it is you’re about to do.”

“Oh come on Chris, you can’t be like this on a game day. It’s the World Cup! You gotta be pumped and full of energy!”

Christen just rolls her eyes. “Kelley. It’s 6:30. No one should be expected to be awake right now.”

“You are such a baby. Look at Tobin,” Kelley gestures to the brunette who just walked in, with a very large coffee, “She’s not a morning person either but SHE knows how to deal with it. Take notes Pressi.”

Christen has to tear her eyes away from Tobin, knowing Kelley will notice if she doesn’t stop staring soon. “Whatever.”

Kelley just smiles smugly at her, “Maybe if you ask nicely, Tobs will share her coffee with you.”

A voice interrupts them. “Number one, why are you two talking about me?”

Christen twists her head to see Tobin sitting down on her other side. _ Oh no, looks like you won’t be paying attention during this after all._

“And number two, I don’t share coffee… with anyone,” Tobin deadpans.

“HaHA looks like you’re out of luck Press,” Kelley teases before twisting around in her chair to annoy her next victim: An unsuspecting Becky Sauerbrunn. 

At least…. Kelley _thought_ she was unsuspecting. Before she could even open her mouth to shout “BECKYYY”, Becky shuts her down.  
“Don’t even think about it,” the blonde says, not even looking up from her phone. Kelley pouts, facing forward again, and trying to ignore the cackling that’s coming from Tobin and Christen, the two having witnessed the whole thing.

“Pfhaha that was just embarrassing Kelley!” Tobin manages between laughs.

Kelley just sticks her tongue out.

Christen is about to comment as well, but Jill’s voice silences the room. “Okay! Now that everyone’s here, we’re going to get started. First off, defensive formation..”

Christen tries to stay engaged, but her eyes keep betraying her, starting to close shut. _Ugh what is happening? I got plenty of sleep last night this makes no sense. Seriously Chris you can’t fall asleep now._

Suddenly she feels something warm being pushed into her hand. Christen manages to open her eyes to see Tobin looking at her, trying to hand over her coffee cup. _ How does she look so good so early in the morning?_

“Are you sure? I don’t want to rob you of your caffeine…”

“Just take it,” Tobin whispers, “You clearly need it more than I do.”

Christen shoots her a quick and small smile, hoping it conveys her gratitude. She then chugs down half the cup, not being able to afford to miss anymore of this meeting.

“Damn Chris, slow down you might choke,” Tobin smirks.

_That smirk_. It does so much more to Christen than she’d like to admit. _Oh two can play this game_.

“Very funny… I’m quite curious though, I thought you said you never share your coffee.” Christen says innocently. She gets the reaction she wants when Tobin blushes and looks away. _ She’s too cute._  
______

The rest of the morning goes by quickly, and by 2:00pm the team is at the stadium. It’s their final practice before their game against Australia, and seeing that they have to play later on, Jill keeps their drills very light. The first couple of hours, the team spends their time stretching, doing simple passes, footwork exercises, and drinking lots of water.

Tobin has always loved the hours before everyone goes into game mode. She likes sitting on the field with her teammates, listening to them just chat about random things. Tobin doesn’t usually talk, prefering to just listen and think. 

Today however, Tobin doesn’t want to listen, she wants to talk to Christen. It frustrates her a bit, knowing that this urge can only mean one thing: she’s starting to have actual feelings for the girl. 

_ Shit_, Tobin thinks to herself, _wanting to push her up against a wall is one thing, thinking she’s gorgeous is one thing, but this… this is too much_. Having to admit that Christen could be starting to mean more to her is too much. Yet, Tobin can’t stop herself from finding a way to get herself next to Christen. 

Christen gives her a soft smile as she sits down. “Hey”

“Hey. You ready for tonight? You’re starting,” Tobin says casually, trying to not show that Christen’s eyes are making her stomach do backflips.

“Tobin I swear if you hadn’t given me that coffee, I wouldn’t have been able to read my name on the lineup this morning. So thank you, really.” 

“Shhhhh,” Tobin pretend hisses, smiling to let Christen know she’s joking, “Don’t let other people hear you or it will ruin my street cred and everyone will want me to share!”

Christen snickers and leans in, “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” She’s pretty sure there’s something more in Tobin’s grin than just casual happiness, but she can’t put her finger on it. Whatever it is, it makes Christen lean in further, “Does that mean I’m special enough to get you to share your coffee.”

_ How... HOW can she tell? Relax Tobin, play it cool, she knows nothing._ Tobin rolls her eyes, “I mean, you are a… uhh unique case… that’s for sure. I don’t think I’ve ever gone from despising someone to tolerating them in under a week. So sure, you can call yourself special.”

What Tobin wanted to say was “I don’t think I’ve ever gone from despising someone, to wanting to kiss them silly in a week before,” but she sure as hell doesn’t.

Christen just nods, “That is true. I bet Jill is pretty relieved that we’re getting along.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure if she noticed… Did you notice that you’re playing and I’m a sub?”

Christen’s eyes widen and then her mouth breaks into a guilty smile, “Oh my god you’re right! Do you think she’s gonna switch us so she can play us both?”

“Probably.”

Seeing Christen like this, smiling and joking, makes Tobin want to kick herself. To kick herself for wasting literal years making Christen’s face fall when she could have been making it light up like she is right now. She wants to apologize to Christen over and over again, but she knows now isn’t the time and it would ruin the mood. So instead she just stares back at Christen, smiling as she gets lost in her emerald eyes. 

Tobin’s not sure how long they stay like that, gazing into each other’s eyes, but she knows, when they have to leave for the locker rooms, that their simple interaction only made her addiction to Christen worse. 

Tobin tries to be mad at herself, but she can’t even get herself to stop smiling.  
______

Normally, Tobin hates being on the bench during games. She always wants to be on the field, running and panting for air, fighting to just touch the ball for a few seconds. Scoring a goal is, of course, the objective, but Tobin likes making players look stupid even more than scoring. Watching her opponents fall to the ground as she jukes them makes her heart swell more than any goal ever could.

Being on the bench means she can’t do that. Combine that with the fact that it’s the World Cup, Tobin should be itching to be subbed in. But not today. It’s not that Tobin doesn’t _want_ to play, because she definitely does, it’s that she’s having a perfectly good time watching her team play. 

Pinoe putting a ball in the back of the net in the 12th minute was a relieving moment for Tobin, not only because they scored, but because it meant Tobin could watch the one person she wanted to without worrying she was going to miss the first goal. Since the 12th minute, Tobin’s eyes haven’t left Christen.

Watching Christen make runs to the goal when their team has possession, watching Christen as she calls out for the ball, the way Christen looks completely locked into the game, all of it makes Tobin even more sure that Christen is the most attractive person she’s ever met. 

In the 61st minute, Tobin’s on the edge of her seat as Sydney dribbles into the box and passes the ball to Christen. When Christen’s perfect first touch sends the ball into the bottom far post, Tobin can’t hold back the scream of joy. _ SHE FUCKING SCORED_. 

She’s jumping up and down and cheering like a madman as Christen puts her arms up like an airplane, running back to Carli for a hug. Watching her in her moment of euphoria, Tobin can’t help but wish she was on the field with her, to be able to hug her, and smile with her. 

When Jill finally tells Tobin to get warmed up, she’s up and out of her seat before Jill finishes talking, running to the end of the field and back to warm up.  
Tobin watches from the halfway line with the sub board as Christen jogs towards her. When Christen reaches her, Tobin pulls her in for a tight hug. Her entire body feels like it’s on fire pressed up against Christen’s.

“Congratulations Chris, you deserve every bit of that goal,” she says into Christen’s ear. Christen just smiles at her.

“Good luck!”  
__

The game ends 3-1, with Pinoe scoring another goal in the 78th minute. Tobin’s still buzzing with the game’s energy when they get back to their hotel. Christen comes out of the shower to see Tobin doing push-ups on the carpeted floor. 

“Tobin what are you doing?”

Tobin doesn’t stop to talk, choosing to speak in between push-ups, “Too..much..energy.”

Christen just shakes her head, “You’re ridiculous.” _ But **damn** look at those arm muscles_. “Can I turn on the tv?”

Tobin grunts in approval.

“Okay what do you want to watch?”

Tobin stops to look up at Christen on her bed, “You pick, you’re the one that scored today.” Christen just smiles at her as she scrolls through the channels. She eventually settles on one.

_“And that’s what you missed on GLEE!”_

Tobin’s on her feet in seconds. “Oh my god Christen! Of all the shows, we’re watching Glee?”

Christen’s eyes don’t leave the screen, “Yeah, now shush I need to see what Sue’s doing.”

“Of COURSE you like this show,” Tobin facepalms, “Why did I ever doubt you’d like this crap.”

Christen’s eyes are now on her, squinting, challenging. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Everyone has that one stupid show they love, for some it’s the Bachelor, for others it’s Brooklyn 99, and apparently for you it’s Glee.”

“Glee is NOT a stupid show”

“Chris yes it is, look at it.”

“No way, it’s much more meaningful than the others you mentioned, don’t even fight me on this.”

Tobin laughs, “Chris the episode we’re watching is literally called ‘Grilled Cheesus,’ explain the meaningful part in this.”

“Hey a show can be meaningful and silly at the same,” Christen argues, “This episode Finn’s grilled cheese is burnt a little and it looks like Jesus.”

Tobin just shakes her head grinning, “I can’t even argue with you on this, you aren’t seeing clearly, biased because of your obsession with this show.”

Christen throws a pillow at her, “Oh please! I bet you’re no better. What’s your show?”

“Excuse me?” Tobin sits down on her own bed, getting comfy.

“You said everyone has a stupid show they watch, what’s yours?”

Tobin tries to backtrack, “Oh uhh… I don’t have one.”

“LIES! Don’t even try that! I know you have one.”

“No Chris seriously I don–”

Christen interrupts her, trying her hardest to sound serious, “Tobin. Cut the bullshit spit it out.”

Tobin just looks at her for a minute. “The Simpsons,” she whispers. 

Christen bursts into laughter, “THE SIMPSONS? You watch the Simpsons and you think you have room to bash my love of Glee? PLEASE.”

“I should’ve kept my mouth shut.” Tobin tries to look disappointed, but her grin betrays her.

“Yes you should have, now be quiet I wanna watch.”

They stay like that, watching Glee on their beds, Christen singing along to the songs she knows and Tobin making fun of it whenever given the opportunity. Christen keeps stealing looks at Tobin, admiring her profile and the way her mouth opens a bit when she’s concentrating. _Why did you think just friends was a good idea? Just look at those lips.._

After two episodes, Tobin falls asleep, still sitting against her bed’s headboard. Once Christen notices, she turns the tv off, and walks over to Tobin’s bed. She gently lifts Tobin’s legs up as she pulls back the comforter. She half lifts, half pulls Tobin so she’s laying down, re-adjusts Tobin’s pillows, and pulls the comforter back over her before taking a moment to look at the sleeping brunette. When Tobin’s eyes start to flutter open, Christen panics and starts to walk back to her own bed. Tobin’s grabs her wrist before can get very far.

“Stay,” Tobin whispers weakly.

_Why does she have to make this so hard?_ Christen gulps. _ God I want to, but that’s not the right choice, make the right choice Chris._

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Christen says.

Tobin doesn’t give up easily, becoming more awake by the second. “Why?”

Christen huffs, not sure if she wants to say it. _ Fuck it Chris what do you have to lose?_  
“Because… being just friends with you is hard enough already.”

Tobin looks a little upset, but she seems to respect Christen’s wishes, turning over to her other side, “Okay. Goodnight.”

Christen hates the tone of Tobin’s voice, she hates that she didn’t just do what they both wanted and get in bed with Tobin. _Just go to sleep Chris, it’s for the best. It’s what you said you wanted._ Christen turns out the light and gets in her own bed. 

Five minutes later, Christen’s willpower dissolves. She lets out a frustrated sigh before getting out of her bed and walking over to get in Tobins. She hugs Tobin from behind. “You win,” she grumbles, trying to pull Tobin closer. Tobin laces their fingers together.

A minute later, Christen speaks again, “This still doesn’t change anything.”

Tobin huffs, the annoyance in her voice clearly showing, “It sounds like nothing we do changes anything.”

_What is she getting at?_ Christen’s determined not to let Tobin get to her, knowing how risky it could be, “Exactly.”

Tobin twists around in Christen’s embrace to face her. “Perfect.”

_ Perfect? She just sounded upset two minutes ago! What does she mean perfect?_ “Tobin what are you talking abo–”

Tobin’s arms wrap around Christen’s waist and pull her flush against her, crashing their lips together. Christen is stunned, but she can’t help but melt against Tobin, it just feels so right. Tobin pulls back and Christen’s body protests.

“Tell me to stop,” Tobin whispers against her lips, “And I’ll stop.”

Christen’s heart is nearly beating out of her chest. _ Why does she have to do things like this?_ Christen knows there’s no way she’s making Tobin stop. She grabs Tobins face and pulls it back to hers, “Don’t stop.”

Tobin groans as Christen sucks on her lip, pressing closer to her. The kiss is hot and needy, neither woman wanting to seperate for air. When Christen finally decides they need to breathe and pulls back, Tobin’s eyes don’t leave hers, as if she’s seeing them for the first time. The moonlight coming through the window hits Christen’s face in the most perfect way, highlighting her sparkling, dilated eyes, and her swollen lips. 

It’s too much for Tobin. She moves so that she’s on top of Christen, trying to be careful not to put her weight down. Christen’s not having it. She pulls Tobin down, wanting to feel Tobin on top of her. Their lips find each other again as if they were meant to be together and Christen can’t stop the moan that leaves her when Tobin licks into her mouth. 

Tobin’s kissing Christen like there is no tomorrow, her intensity only increasing when Christen’s legs wrap around her, keeping Tobin in place. Neither of them knows what any of this means, but they both know they’re powerless to stop. 

They stay like that for a while, making out but making sure to go no further, both knowing that would be crossing a line. _ We can pretend this didn’t happen, we can keep pretending when it happens again,_ Christen thinks, _ We can’t ignore it if it goes further so for fucks sake Chris keep your HANDS out of her shirt_. She allows herself to kiss Tobin for one more minute, before deciding it’s time for sleep. 

She guides Tobin off her, pulling her close once Tobin’s on her side facing her. Tobin’s gaze is making her stomach flutter. “What was that?” Tobin breathes.

Christen has already decided how she’s going to respond. She leans in, kissing her for a second before pulling away. “What was what?” she pretends to be confused, “Nothing happened.”

Tobin looks puzzled before realization washes over her face._So we’re just going to ignore it…_ She smirks at Christen, “Is that how it’s gonna be?” She tries to kiss Christen but Christen moves back, teasing her.

“That’s how it _has_ to be,” Christen replies.

Tobin manages to steal one last kiss before settling in to sleep. “We’ll see about that," she murmurs.

Christen just sighs, wrapping her arms around Tobin tighter before drifting off to sleep. _ This is such a bad idea…_  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops! This isn't at all how I intended this chapter to end but here we are :). Lmk what you thought in the comments


	10. $100 Bet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash and Kelley make a bet. Tobin gets jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where I'm going with this but I can't stop writing...ACK.

Things for both Tobin and Christen kinda go back to normal. The two women focus on their training along with the rest of the team. Tobin spends most of her free time hanging out with Allie playing Mario Kart, Christen does her best to get to know the whole national team, discovering that her and Kling have a lot in common.

The rest of the group stage goes by in a flash. Christen plays in the game against Sweden, which they tie, and Tobin plays against Nigeria, winning 1-0. Everyone on the team expected to advance past the group stage, but they were still relieved to find they had more than enough points. 

So yes, the days were completely normal. The nights however…. Not so much. Since the night of the Australia game, Christen and Tobin have found it impossible to keep their hands off each other.  
______

The day after it first happened, they both ignored it, saying nothing when they got up. They went about their usual business, showing up to the team meeting, staying completely focused throughout their cooldown session. 

Christen would have been lying if she had said the events of the night before weren’t on replay in her head the entire day. It took all of her energy and restraint not to grab Tobin and kiss her until they were both out out of breath. Tobin, on the other hand, stayed away from Christen, wanting to respect her wish to stay just friends, even though they both knew that wasn’t going to hold up for very long. 

Tobin wasn’t sure what to expect when they were alone for the first time since the night before. However, the second they got back to their hotel room that evening, Christen had her pushed up against the door, closing it and therefore ensuring their privacy as she crashed her lips into Tobin’s. 

Christen’s lips were persistent, leaving no room for discussion that _this_ was what they were doing, not that Tobin would have ever wanted her to stop. While Tobin was _ incredibly_ pleased with their current position, she also was rather confused. When Christen had played dumb last night, she thought Christen was saying it wouldnt happen again, but here they were. 

It only took two more times; when Christen pulled her into a supply closet after lunch, and that time they were sent back to their hotel rooms early to rest (they didn’t do any resting), for Tobin to realize what Christen meant:

_We’re going to ignore it after it happens and mention it to no one, but I can kiss her all I want behind closed doors_. 

After figuring that out, Tobin’s lips were on Christen’s whenever they were alone in their hotel room, every night before they went to bed; together. Since the night of the game, there was no question. They gave up on sleeping separately, Christen and Tobin unexplainably knowing they both sleep better in each others’ arms. They never went further than just kissing, but Tobin wasn’t complaining. She would admit to herself that she found the whole situation odd, having to treat and talk to Christen in front of others as if her tongue hadn’t been Christen’s mouth minutes before. 

Still, miraculously, they got along splendidly in front of others. They stuck together in practice, always chatting. It had the whole team puzzled, Jill included. None of the girls understood how two women who passionately hated it each other before the World Cup were suddenly seemingly good friends. Most of them shrugged it off, not being nosy enough to really care or ask. But not Kelley. No, Kelley was curious and far too nosy for her own good.  
______  
_Back to the present_.

After watching Tobin and Christen giggle over a weirdly shaped apple for two minute, Kelley slams her drink on the table, and turns to Ashlyn. “Okay I’ve had it with those two! What the hell is up with them?”

Ashlyn doesn’t really pick up, “Who?”

“What do you mean who? Christen and Tobin. Who else?”

“Okay… what about them?”

Kelley groans, “Literally a couple of weeks ago they were at each other’s throats… Now look at them. It’s so odd”

“I don’t know what to tell you Kel,” Ashlyn says while sipping her coffee, “They clearly just got rid of the shit between them and now they’re good.”

“Ash that can’t be it. LOOK at them,” Kelley says grabbing Ash and turning her upper body to look at them, “Seriously you can’t tell me that’s not suspicious at all.”

Ash rolls her eyes at Kelley’s persistence, but does what the brunette asks anyway. Tobin and Christen are smiling at each other, looking into the other’s eyes for much longer than normal friends would. Ashlyn doesn’t miss it.

Her eyes widen, “Dude, Kelley…”

“I know! What do you think?”

Ashlyn’s mischievous grin is beginning to show. “I have no idea what is happening between them, but there is most definitely some chemistry there. Tobin was most definitely checking her out.”

Kelley gasps, “Okay I don’t think they’re together or anything but–”

Ashlyn interrupts her, “Biiitch, they are definitely together, and if they’re pretending they’re not and lying to each other about it, then they’re both clowns.”

Kelley is shocked how convinced Ashlyn has become over the course of one minute, and a bit concerned she’s going overboard. “Don’t you think that’s a bit of an exaggeration? We have absolutely no evidence to prove any of your claims.”

Ashlyn just scoffs, “Please! We don’t need evidence, we have something better.”

“Which is…?”

“My gaydar.”

Kelley facepalms, “Ash! That is NOT better.”

“Bitch my gaydar is ALWAYS correct, don’t even argue with me on this. I am telling you, those two are definitely into each other. I’m willing to bet money.”

Kelley pauses. “How much money?”

“$100.”

“You’re on,” Kelley says confidently, “If we find out for sure they’re hooking up, or together, or whatever, as long as they both have feelings for each other, I will gladly pay you $100. There’s just no way it’s that extreme.”

Ashlyn chuckles, getting up from her seat to put her mug in the dishwashing bin, “Prepare to lose $100.”  
______

Tobin and Christen sit at an empty breakfast table casually talking, having no clue their teammates are making bets on them.

“So let me get this straight,” Christen giggles, “Despite the fact that we’ve been more than neutral towards each other for the past week and a half, Jill STILL won’t play us together?”

Tobin smiles at her, _I love that giggle so much_, “Hey, I don’t know anything for certain, but doesn’t it seem that way? I subbed in for you against Australia, you were in the line-up for the Sweden game and I didn’t get put in, and then I played for most of the Nigeria game, and you didn’t. I guess Jill isn’t taking any chances, this is the World Cup after all.”

Christen thinks about it for a second. “I mean I guess that does make sense. Never in a million years would Jill let a couple of cretins like us fuck up the National Team’s chance of winning.”

“Hold-up, cretins?”

“Yeah”

“Chris I promise you that’s not a word.”

Christen crosses her arms playfully, “Oh yes it is.”

“No Chris.”

“Yeah I’m not kidding.”

“No chance.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

A small smile betrays Christen’s authoritative tone. She gives up and lets out a chuckle at their banter, “Oh my god Tobin we are such children. Seriously look it up, cretin is a word.”

Tobin rolls her eyes, “I’m not looking it up, I’m not going to even entertain the possibility.”

Christen’s eyes widen and then narrow, “You… you know your wrong at this point,” she pulls out her phone quickly, and starts typing in her search engine, “But you’re way too stubborn to admit it.”

The page loads and Christen lets out a shriek of victory, “YES see Tobin look!”

Tobin closes her eyes, not willing to read and accept defeat, “Nope.”

Christen isn’t having it, “Tobin open your eyes, I need you to admit your defeat.”

Tobin’s eyes remain closed, “Absolutely not.”

Christen’s getting impatient. When the idea pops in her head, it’s too tempting to resist. She swiftly reaches forward and puts her fingers on Tobin’s neck, tickling the brunette. Tobin shrieks and tries to swat Christen’s hands away. 

It doesn’t work. As soon as she opens her eyes, Christen’s hands are off her and she’s shoving her phone screen in Tobin’s face.

“Look! Cretin!”

Tobin reads the screen:

** Cre・tin**  
** /’krētn/**  
**noun**  
**A stupid person (used as a general term of abuse).**

Tobin pauses for a second and tries her best to look annoyed, “Did you just call us both idiots?” 

Christen rolls her eyes, still waiting for Tobin to accept defeat, “I’m still waiting for the words ‘I was wrong’, Tobin.”

Tobin gets up, Christen’s phone still her hand and heads for the door, “I guess you’re going to be waiting a while then.”

Christen is shocked at Tobin’s boldness. _ Oh she doesn’t think she’s getting away with that… does she?_ She follows Tobin out of the breakfast room and catches up with her in the hall.

“Tobin.”

Tobin turns around at Christen’s breathless tone, already having an idea of where this is going. Christen’s hand closes around her shirt, yanking her into the supply closet. Even in the pitch black darkness, Christen has no problem finding Tobin’s lips, kissing her desperately as soon as they shut the door. 

She lets herself enjoy the feeling of Tobin’s tongue running along her bottom lip for a second, before it’s time to get what she came for. Christen pulls back suddenly. Tobin’s head chases forward, trying to find her again but failing. 

“Chriiis,” Tobin whines. It makes Christen’s mouth go dry, it makes her want to give in and lean back in to give Tobin what she wants, but Christen stays strong. 

“Nope. Not until you say it.”

“Chris…” Tobin protests, “You can’t be serious.”

Christen nibs down on Tobin’s earlobe and it sends a shock down Tobin’s body. _Holy fuck_.

“I’m waiting Tobin,” she whispers.

Tobin gives in, not being able to put up a fight any longer, “I… was wrong.” Christen bites down on her ear, harder this time. “Completely incorrect,” Tobin gasps out.

Christen’s lips are instantly back on hers, humming with approval. The vibrations turn Tobin’s insides to mush. _She’s too good at this.. It isn’t fair_. Tobin tangles her hands in Christen’s wild hair, resigning herself and letting Christen have her way with her.

After what feels like a minute, but was probably closer to ten, the two women seperate and sneak out of the closet, straightening their hair and clothes, pretending that didn’t just happen. Christen goes back to their room for a shower and Tobin heads in the direction of the gym, wanting to get some exercises in despite it being a rest day after yesterday's game against Nigeria.

In the gym, Tobin finds quite a few of her teammates. _ I guess I’m not the only one who was getting antsy._

Becky and Kelley are doing box jumps while Alyssa and Ashlyn throw a medicine ball back and forth. Tobin hops on a treadmill, cursing herself for forgetting earbuds for music. Had her other teammates been in her situation, they probably would’ve just set their phone down and played their music quietly on speaker. 

But not Tobin, no Tobin has never liked to add to the noise in a room. Growing up in a big family, her other siblings were plenty loud and Tobin never felt the need to add to the noise, deciding that listening would be enough for her. So there is no way Tobin will turn on her music now, she just turns her phone off and starts running, letting the conversations of her teammates act as background music.

Tobin isn’t a nosy person by default, so she shocks herself when she begins to listen in on Kelley’s conversation with Ashlyn. They talk about the most random things, bottled water brands, soccer cleats, the worst dates they’ve been on. 

Eventually, Ashlyn realizes Tobin’s listening in and decides to test her theory. “Speaking of dates,” she says loudly enough that she’s sure Tobin won’t miss a word, “I haven’t seen Press go on a date recently.”

Tobin’s heart stops. If she wasn’t really listening before, she definitely is now. Tobin knows she has no right to get possessive or jealous over whatever is about to be said. _Christen isn’t your girlfriend, she’s far from it. We’re just friends. We’re just friends._ Tobin sighs, _Yeah but you want more_.

Kelley seems confused, “Well no duh, she doesn’t have time for that kind of thing. It’s the World Cup. Not all of us are as lucky as you Ash, we can’t all date a teammate.”

Ashlyn waits for some response from Tobin, but she doesn’t get one. _ I should push it a bit further._ “Yeah I realize that. But don’t you remember when Press mentioned that one dude,” Ashlyn’s making up a lie on the spot, “She said she was pretty interested in him.”

Tobin knows she has no right to be jealous, but she can’t help the way her throat seems to tighten. The thought of Christen with someone else, someone else’s hands in Christen’s hair, someone else cuddling Christen, someone else giving Christen a reason to stop whatever was going on between them– it made her insides churn. _ I can’t stay here, not like this_

Tobin quickly turns off the treadmill and exits the weightroom. Ash smirks to herself, _ Well that worked._  
______  
Tobin feels anger and jealousy bubbling inside her as she walks to the elevator. _ No fucking way_, Tobin’s just plain possessive at this point, _ She can’t do this to me and then plan to go off with some guy._

The elevator dings and opens on the third floor. Tobin angrily exits, _ I’ll show her_, Tobin says to herself, _she’s mine_.  
______


	11. Jealous Tobin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin catches Christen off guard.... that's all I got... better just read it for yourself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... I am so sorry the update has taken this long. School started last week for me and I've had a lot less free time. I'm gonna finish this story tho, no matter how long it takes. Anyways enjoy  
______

Christen finishes touching up her hair, having showered and straightened it. She unplugs the straightener and sets it down. Standing in front of her bathroom mirror, Christen just looks at herself, taking time to take in her appearance. The first thing she notices is the tiniest line under her left eye. It’s nothing anyone else would even take a second glance at, but Christen has looked at herself enough in the past to notice it only appears when she hasn’t been sleeping enough repeatedly.

Thinking as to why that is, Christen blushes, a small smile creeping onto her face. _ It’s all Tobin’s fault. Tobin and her stupid lips_. She doesn’t regret any of it one bit, staying up late into the night just to feel Tobin’s lips on hers, Tobin’s hands on her, in her hair, holding her close. She doesn’t mind it one bit, if anything she wants more. Christen desperately wants more. She wants to wake up in Tobin’s arms and not have to ignore how good it feels; she wants to be able to tell the brunette how much she’s beginning to mean to her. 

In the beginning, Christen just thought she was hot. Tobin’s gaze lit her on fire. _But now it’s so much worse,_ she thought. Now, everything about Tobin makes Christen’s stomach to summersaults. The way Tobin get distracted when a dog walks by, the way she tries to cover up how much she loves it when Christen kisses her, the way she looks like she really cares when Christen’s talking to her, all of it makes Christen’s insides melt. 

Being a good listener was one thing she never expected from Tobin, but the brunette surprised her again. She loves how when she talks, Tobin looks her straight in the eyes as if the rest of the world could be burning and she still would only be looking at her. How when she’s telling a story, Tobin never interrupts her, but smiles or nods often to show Christen that she is 100% listening and following. Christen loves how Tobin makes her feel heard and important, but hates what she knows it means.

She knows it means that the feelings she’s been trying to blow off as simply physical attraction are real and so much more than that, and it terrifies her that Tobin may not feel the same way, _probably _doesn’t feel the same way.

_ She’s fine with things how they are Chris, she said it when you proposed the idea. Nothing more. She just thinks you’re hot, don’t kid yourself into believing she wants anything more._

Christen takes one more look in the mirror, picking a few hairs off her Stanford tee. She hears the beep of the door unlocking. _Tobin_. Christen steps out of the bathroom, “Tobin, hel–”

Tobin has her pressed against the wall in seconds, her lips on Christen’s as soon as Christen’s back hits the wall. Christen can’t help but whimper when Tobin licks into her mouth hungrily. She tries to wrap her arms around Tobin’s neck, wanting to pull her closer, but Tobin has other plans. She quickly pulls away, making sure Christen’s looking her in the eye.

The first thing that catches Christen off guard is Tobin’s eyes: her usual honey colored eyes are gone. _ Have they always been that dark?_ Christen feels like she’s looking at a hungry animal. It kind of scares her, but at the same time, seeing Tobin like this sends her mind to filthy places. 

Tobin eyes seem to darken even more as she wraps her hands around Christen’s wrists and aggressively pins them against the wall. A sharp gasp escapes Christen’s throat and then Tobin’s lips are back on hers, her teeth nipping at Christen’s lips, Tobin knowing the effect it has on the girl. Christen has so many questions, _What’s going on? Why does she seem mad? What happened?_, but she can do is moan, whimper, and gasp as Tobin has her way with her. 

In this moment, Tobin’s just predatory. _ Why’s Christen playing dumb? How **dare** she play dumb? It doesn’t matter, I’m getting an answer out of her one way or another_. She kisses Christen with enough force to keep Christen’s head pressed against the wall, before moving to kiss her jaw, and then her neck. 

Christen gasps and her eyes snap open, because neither of them have _ever_ kissed the other anywhere but their lips, and their cheek at the beginning of all this. It’s an unspoken rule between them that anything else besides light making out was crossing a line; off limits, and yet here Tobin was breaking all their implicit rules. Christen tries to move, to get Tobin’s lips back on safe territory, but Tobins grip on her wrists only tightens. 

Tobin kisses get messier until she’s just licking at her pulse point. Christen’s eyes involuntarily slam shut because _god that feels good_. When Tobin starts sucking, Christen cries out, feeling a flash of heat shoot down into her core. The longer Tobin’s mouth stays attached to her throat, the more Christen realizes how much she doesn’t want Tobin to stop. _How am I so turned on right now, she hasn’t even done anything?_

When Tobin bites down and sucks a little too hard, Christen almost falls to the ground, but instead finds herself being pushed harder into the wall as Tobin works her thigh between her legs, effectively holding her up. She knows Tobin is definitely going to leave marks with how hard she’s sucking, she knows Tobin’s doing it on purpose, but Christen can’t even hold herself up anymore, and feeling Tobin’s mouth on her neck is too good to protest against. 

Tobin intentionally presses her leg into Christen’s core and Christen chokes back a moan at the sudden pressure, “Tobin…”

No later have the words left her mouth when Tobin’s lips come back up to meet Christen’s, beginning to rock her leg into Christen as she kisses her. Christen’s panting against Tobin’s lips, desperately wanting more but knowing Tobin is in complete control, which only seems to turn her on more.

“You’re mine,” Tobin growls. And _Oh_ do those words have an effect of Christen. She just moans back, knowing she can’t do much else. In the past, Tobin’s touch set Christen on fire. When they brushed hands, when Tobin kissed her. Now, with Tobin’s entire body pressed against hers, her thigh working Christen up, Christen’s in overdrive, gasping and moaning, too preoccupied to be embarrassed by how easily Tobin’s winding her up.

Her wrists are aching from being so roughly pressed against the wall, and she nearly sobs in relief when Tobin releases them. Christen wraps her arms around Tobin’s neck the instant they’re free, desperately wanting to keep Tobin against her. 

She’s so turned on it _hurts_, and even with Tobin grinding into her, even with Tobin sucking on her tongue, it’s not enough. “Tobin,” she chokes out, “Tobin I need....” 

Tobin doesn’t respond. Christen is getting more desperate by the second, “Tobin,” she grabs her hand and quickly guides it to the bottom of her shirt, “off…Take it off, _please_.” That seems to get the brunette’s attention. Tobin’s hands find the hem of Christen’s shirt, tugging it up and off her. It’s at that moment that Christen remembers an important fact: she’s not wearing a bra.

Christen knows she normally would be horrified, but again, she’s too turned on to care. Tobin doesn’t even look fazed, but suddenly she’s picking up Christen by her thighs and carrying them to her bed. All she can do is pant as Tobin lays her down and crawls on top of her. _ This is such a bad idea, so why does it feel so right?_ Christen’s thoughts are interrupted when Tobin palms her left breast, her thumb brushing over her hardened nipple. Christen arches into her touch. _ She’s too good at this..._She wants more, so much more. “Tobin,” she whimpers. 

Tobin looks up at her and removes her hand. Christen’s a mess under her; her hair slightly tangled, her lips swollen and her usual green eyes dark. Tobin feels herself getting wet just looking at her like this. _Don’t let her off easy, make her beg for it Tobin._ “Tell me how much you want it.”

Christen can’t believe what she’s hearing. She whimpers, trying to pull Tobin flush against her, but Tobin resists. “Tobin, please, just touch–”

Tobin’s breath is hot on her ear, “I need to hear it Chris, tell me how much you want it.” Christen can only whine in frustration. Tobin continues, “Tell me you’re mine.”

Christen knows she shouldn’t say any of those things, knowing what it would mean to admit it to Tobin, but with Tobin on top of her, looking down at her with her blown out eyes, Christen can’t stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth. “Tobin,” she chokes out, pulling the brunette’s face down to hers, “I want you so bad.” Tobin groans, moving her hand back onto Christen’s breast. She chokes back a sob, knowing if she stops talking Tobin will stop. “Tobin you have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

Tobin leans down and takes Christen’s other nipple in her mouth, sucking hard. Christen lets out a strangled scream and Tobin’s free hand quickly clamps around her mouth, making sure the neighboring rooms don’t hear anything.

Despite them both knowing the door is closed and locked, the knock sends them both into panic. They both stare at the door for a minute before looking at each other. _Shit!_

Tobin launches herself off the bed and throws Christen her shirt, Christen catches it as she runs into the bathroom, frantically trying to fix her disheveled appearance. Tobin just straightens out her shirt and redoes her ponytail before opening the door. 

Ashlyn stand outside their door, holding a small white towel. 

“Hey Tobin,” she says, “You uh forgot your towel in the gym.”

Tobin’s mind is still processing everything that just happened, “I’m sorry can you say that again?” 

Ashlyn looks at her for a minute, studying the way Tobin is panting, still in her workout clothes. _ That’s odd, she’s been in her room for at least 15 minutes…_ “You forgot your towel Tobin.”

Tobin blinks hard at her, trying to take in what Ashlyn said. “Ah, I see. Thanks Ash.”

Little does Tobin know that while she did, in fact leave her towel in the gym, Ashlyn’s main reason for coming to visit her was to see what happened after Tobin stormed out all flustered. _ Why does she look so out of it?_

The goalkeeper does her best to be discreet as she peers behind Tobin. She sees Christen leave the bathroom, and sit on an unmade bed. She glances over at the other one, seeing that the empty one was made. Her eyes go wide for a second at the realization before she regains her composure, remembering Tobin is still standing in front of her.

“Right, well that’s all I came for, so I gotta go, bye Tobin.”

As soon as Tobin closes the door Ashlyn’s booking it to Kelley’s room, _ I’ve roomed with Tobin enough to know that girl NEVER makes her bed, and our rooms are on a schedule where the maids only come to clean every two days, they didn’t come today. Christen’s bed was unmade but she’s the neat freak. The only way Tobin’s bed would be made would be if she didn’t sleep in it last night… which means…. That they were sharing a bed… Christen’s bed. Oh my god I was so right!_

______

Tobin leans against the door for a second, closing her eyes for a second to think. All the jealous emotions that had prompted her to instigate that are starting to fade away. _ Shit okay so THAT just happened... _ She knows as soon as she steps back into the main room, her and Christen are going to have to talk about what just happened. She knows that there’s no avoiding it. _ You can’t just pin her against the wall, almost hook up with her and then not talk about it. As if our relationship wasn’t complicated enough as it was before today. You’ve really done it now Tobin_. Tobin considers sneaking out of the room, she considers putting in her earbuds and ignoring Christen, but she doesn’t have a chance to choose an escape plan before Christen blocks all the exits.

“Tobin I know you’re still here.”

The brunette opens her eyes, _Fuck_. She slowly walks past the bathroom and finds Christen sitting cross legged on her bed, _ well technically now our bed… shut up Tobin it doesn’t matter and you have a much bigger issue on your hands_.

Christen looks at her, and pats down on the blanket, signaling Tobin to come sit across from her. Tobin doesn’t even think about challenging her, sitting down quietly. She’s trying to look anywhere but at Christen, afraid of what she would see if she did. _ What if she cries again? What if she’s mad? What have I done?”_

“Tobin.” Christen’s voice interrupts her thoughts, “Will you please look at me?”

Tobin’s eyes slowly meet hers, and to the brunette’s surprise, Christen doesn’t look broken at all, just a little concerned. “Do you want to explain?”

Tobin just gulps, she knew this was coming. _Don’t play dumb be mature, don’t play dumb_. “Explain what?” _You idiot_.

“Tobin. Don’t even try that. We both know that didn’t just come out of nowhere. You have me worried, you seemed… I don’t know… upset?”

“I’m sorry Chris, I shouldn’t have done that, it was out of line. I understa–”

“Tobin stop,” Christen interrupts her, “Don’t go there, we both know I enjoyed that quite a bit.” They’re both blushing a bit. “But seriously Tobin I’ve never seen you act like that. You seemed angry.”

Tobin opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. She looks down at her legs, not feeling strong enough to look Christen in the face _ Don’t let her know how much you care, she doesn’t feel the same way. Spin the story, give your answer and then forget about this._

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She quietly says.

Christen tries to get Tobin to look at her, but fails, “Tell you what?”

Tobin fiddles with her hands, “I heard you uh, are interested in some guy.”

Christen’s face screws up in confusion _Guy? What guy? Why does she think there’s some guy?_ “I really don’t know what you’re talking about Tobin, I am not currently talking to or seeing anyone. Whoever told you that got their facts mixed up.”

Tobin feels a wave of relief pass over her _ Oh thank god_. “Oh.”

The realization dawns on Christen. _She really just did all that because she thought I was playing her?_ “Is that what that was all about?”

_ This is your chance Tobin, play off your feelings_. “Yeah,” she says, “When I heard I felt pretty used by you. I mean I know we are just friends and we don’t talk about anything that we do… but I…. I uh…” Tobin can’t seem to find the right words.

“You…?” Christen coaxes.

“I like where we are right now, I didn’t like the idea of some guy ending this.” _ Lies, lies and more lies. Why are you kidding yourself, you like her too much to be happy with this arrangement._.

Part of Christen wants to kiss Tobin, _ She’s so cute when she’s jealous_, but the other part wants to cry, _She likes where we are right now, she doesn’t want anything more_. 

“Okay, well it just sounds like all of this was caused by some gossip.” _ Seriously Chris? Are you seriously going to ignore the fact you two were easily on the way to having sex just now? You fool._

“Yup,” Tobin responds, “I guess so.” _ So we really are going to ignore the fact that we just did **that**... okay_

“Still just friends?” Christen asks. She silently hopes Tobin will pull her in and kiss her, that Tobin will miraculously say that she wants more than what they have, but Tobin instead says the safe answer:

“Yeah.”  
______


	12. Joined hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin is conflicted, Christen's just confused. Ashlyn and Kelley drag more people into their bet.  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY it took this long to update. This week was super busy. I'm hoping this won't happen again -_-  
anyways enjoy  
______

The team spends their next few days training for the next round of the World Cup. Jill pushes them hard, some may argue too hard, but no one ever says anything. When the players aren’t on the field, they’re instead in an ice bath, doing a promotional video, doing a press conference, or being monitored by the medical staff. 

Currently, Tobin is sitting in an ice bath with Carli– the queen of ice baths, and Alex. The two women are chatting away, trying to do anything to distract themselves from the freezing temperature of the water their lower halves have been submerged in for the past 9 minutes. 

Typically, while she may not be talking much, Tobin would be listening. But Tobin is in her own little world, closing her eyes and trying to feel alone. It has been three days since she has had a moment to herself. 

At first, Tobin had found it a bit overwhelming. While she has always known the entire World Cup is a stressful, but hopefully a rewarding experience, it has been 4 years since her last one and Tobin forgot how intense the entire ordeal was after the group stage. 

_ I just want a **moment** alone_, she thinks to herself. It is a bit of a lie though, Tobin wouldn’t mind if Christen was there. It’s not like she wants to spend the whole time kissing Christen dizzy (though she is always up for that..), it’s that Tobin has come to realize how easy it is to relax around her roommate. _She’s just so calm when she wants to be… it’s like it rubs off on me_.__

Another problem Tobin has found with the team’s current demanding schedule is that she hasn’t been able to really be alone with Christen for even a second. There’s no time to sneak back to their room to make out after lunch. There’s no time for Christen to drag her into the janitor’s closet. They have no time for any of it. They’ve been getting back to their rooms every night at 9:30pm after team meetings and strategy planning, and by then both girls have been too exhausted to do anything but fall into bed together and go right to sleep. 

_ At least I get to hold her every night… that should be enough, right?_ It isn’t though, and Tobin knows it. She misses the feeling of Christen’s lips on hers, the feeling of her hands in Christen’s hair and on her hips. She misses being able to faintly smell Christen’s cocoa butter conditioner. 

Her thoughts are interrupted by the alarm going off. Alex practically jumps out of the ice tub. 

“Finally! I was convinced my limbs were going to freeze off.” 

Carli just smiles and rolls her eyes, “Alex don’t be so dramatic, it’s not that bad. And it was only 15 minutes.” 

“Okay easy for you to say; you willingly do these after every game. You’re used to the pain.” 

Tobin gets out of the tub, drying off as quickly as she can. “Al is right Carli, you’re totally crazy. Ice baths are awful." 

“I can’t believe I’m being ganged up on right now. You two are the worst,” Carli pouts, the corner of her mouth pulling up, a grin threatening to betray her hurt facade.

______ 

Tobin speedwalks to her room after dinner, thanking God that her coach decided to skip holding a team meeting tonight. As soon as she enters her room, Tobin’s dropping her bag, stripping off her clothes and hopping into the shower, trying to get clean as fast as possible. 

She exits the shower after 7 minutes, puts on a night shirt and shorts, and launches herself into Christen’s bed, not wanting to mess up her unused one. Tobin groans in satisfaction as her head hits the pillow, relaxing her body into the mattress. After a few moments of just laying there on her stomach, Tobin rolls over, getting comfy before pulling out her worn copy of _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_ to read. 

It’s not long before Tobin hears the door open. Her eyes dart over to the room’s entrance to see Christen dropping her things with the same urgency Tobin had, but instead of heading for the shower, Christen hurries over to her bed and throws herself into Tobin’s arms. 

Tobin grunts as Christen practically falls on top of her, but wastes no time wrapping her arms around the dark haired girl, keeping her from sliding off the bed. It’s oddly intimate, having Christen pressed up against her despite Christen’s sweaty workout clothes. 

As soon as she’s settled, now half lying on Tobin, half lying to the side of her, Christen grabs Tobin’s chin, holding the brunette’s face in place as she leans in for a kiss. 

Tobin is a bit shocked at how gentle the kiss starts, and she can’t help but feel disappointed when Christen’s tongue slips into her mouth, deepening the kiss and making it just like the “meaningless” ones they’ve shared before. While she isn’t complaining; Tobin always loves kissing Christen, in any way she can, she can’t help but want to kiss Christen lightly and innocently. 

_ But that’s what **couples** do Tobin…._

Tobin’s heart sinks thinking about it. _ And she doesn’t want that_

Christen pulls back first. “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to do that all day,” she breathes out. 

“Leave it to Jill to give us no free time for three days straight." 

Christen just shoots her a small smile before starting to get up off of Tobin. Tobin whines internally, already missing the contact. “Alright, I need to shower… I feel gross staying all sweaty like this.” 

___

Once Christen returns from the shower, she crawls right into bed with Tobin. At first, Tobin seems to be ignoring the fact that Christen’s with her, not cuddling with her like usual. Christen wants to ask what’s wrong, but she’s too tired and wants to feel Tobin’s arms around her. So Christen scoots until she’s right next to her before grabbing Tobin’s arm and putting it around her. 

Tobin can’t seem to make up her mind anymore; she wants to hold Christen, she always wants to be near Christen, but something about tonight has made her realize there’s little chance she will ever have Christen the way she wants her, and that makes her want to push Christen away. Tobin pulls her arms off Christen, and starts to move away. 

Saying it concerns Christen is an understatement. 

“Tobin?” 

No response. 

_God what do I do? I’ve never seen Tobin like this..._ Christen makes up her mind, grabbing Tobin’s arm to keep her from moving as she scoots back into her personal space. 

“Tobin… what’s wrong?” 

Tobin doesn’t say anything. Christen’s mind flashes back to the night where Tobin wouldn’t stop crying, trying to remember what she did then. It’s a much less dramatic situation now, but still, Christen suspects the same things could work. She leans in and kisses Tobin’s cheek lightly. 

“Toby.” Tobin immediately tenses up and then quickly relaxes. _ So she likes the nickname… interesting._

She says it again, “Toby, what’s going on?”

Tobin just wraps her arms tightly around Christen, burying her face into her neck. She lets out a shaky breath and Christen’s heart sinks. She grabs Tobin’s hand, and Tobin grips back so hard she’s sure her fingers are going to break. Still, Christen doesn’t make any move to take back her hand, instead she stays still and gives up on getting a verbal answer, deciding it’s best to just check in with her in the morning. Her free arm snakes around Tobin’s body, rubbing her back until they both drift off to sleep.

______ 

The following morning, Tobin only seems to confuse Christen more. She gets up before Christen’s alarm goes off, _which never happens,_ Christen thinks. Then Tobin is packed showered and ready for their flight to Edmonton before Christen can remind her to get ready. _ What is with her today? When is she ever this organized?_

Christen wants to say something, wants to ask Tobin what got her upset last night and if she’s still upset this morning, but something about the way Tobin seems to be avoiding gaze makes Christen hesitant.

______ 

At the airport, Jill gives the whole team 15 minutes to get breakfast before expecting them to arrive at the private terminal. It isn’t super important that they remain on a tight schedule, as the team is taking a private plane this time, but Jill doesn’t like wasting time. 

Christen drops her things off at the terminal before turning around in search of coffee. Tobin, who has been at her side the entire way through security, doesn’t say anything, simply staying close as she follows Christen. 

When Christen finds a Peet’s, she nudges Tobin, silently asking if she’s okay with getting breakfast there. Tobin doesn’t look at her but nods. It worries Christen to no end. Tobin has never been talkative, but this is something completely different. _ Why won’t she look at me? And just as importantly, why won’t she talk to me?_

They grab their coffee, Christen getting a latte and Tobin opting for an iced coffee and almond croissant, and turn back to return to their gate. Christen knows if she’s gonna get Tobin to talk, there’s no way it’s going to be in a busy, public place like the airport. Instead, she reaches over to give Tobin’s hand a quick squeeze, trying to nonverbally reassure Tobin that she’s here if she needs her, although she’s not sure what’s going on. 

Although it was just meant to be a quick squeeze, Tobin wraps hand around Christen’s before she can pull away, holding it tightly for a couple of seconds. Once she’s sure Christen isn’t going to pull away, Tobin loosens her grip, lacing their fingers together as they walk. Now Christen is thoroughly confused. 

_Okay so she’ll hold my hand, but she won’t look at me? What the..?_ She decides not to think too hard about it, figuring that it will make more sense once she gets a chance to make Tobin open up. 

Christen can’t deny it, she’s enjoying holding Tobin’s hand more than she’d like to admit. It feels so soft and much more innocent than most things that happen between them, and Christen loves it. _ You can’t be thinking things like this. You aren’t dating her. Stop making your feelings for her worse_. 

They unknowingly pass by the food court where Ashlyn is eating. Her eyes nearly pop out of her head when she sees their joined hands. 

“Kelley!” she hisses across the table, “Look!" 

Kelley looks up, mouth full of bacon, “Mm?” 

“Four o’clock.” Kelley looks over, seeing Christen and Tobin. Ash continues, “They’re holding hands.” 

“Yeah? What of it?” 

“What do you mean what of it?” Ash throws her hands up, “The $100 is as good as mine.” 

Alex and Pinoe, who had been sitting at the table through that entire exchange, are highly confused. Alex cuts in, “Okay I’m sorry to interrupt your gossip or whatever, but do either of you want to explain what you’re going on about?” 

Ashlyn wastes no time in replying, “Christen and Tobin are definitely involved with each other, if not dating. Kelley doesn’t think so and we have a bet of $100.” 

Kelley jumps in, “Alex, she’s bonkers, they’re just good friends.” 

Pinoe sets down her coffee cup, “Hold up.. Are you telling me that we aren’t all in agreement that they’re definitely fucking?”

“Thank you Pinoe!” Ashlyn exclaims, “They’re clearly together." 

“Mm..” Alex isn’t so sure, “I’m gonna have to side with Kelley. I think they’re just friends. I doubt there’s anything between them. I mean think about how much they hated each other before the World Cup. There’s just no way” 

Pinoe puts her head on the table and groans dramatically, “I can’t believe I’m friends with actual idiots. Listen there’s only one way they went from wanting to bite the others’ head off to willingly sharing a room together, and that way is they cut the bullcrap and did something about their overwhelming amount of sexual tension. 

“Sexual tension?” Alex hisses “What are you talking about?”

“Come on guys you’re telling me you haven’t seen it building up the last six years? They may have hated each other but I’m willing to bet there was always more to it, even if they didn’t know it then. I’m willing to add $100 to this stupid bet.” 

Ashlyn smirks confidently, “Looks like you’re gonna lose $200 now.” She sees Pinoe’s matching smirk fall, and feels a hand firmly grip her shoulder. Ashlyn gulps, looking up to see her girlfriend glaring at her. 

“Ash I didn’t hear most of that but I swear… if you’re making stupid bets again I’m gonn–” 

The goalkeeper interrupts her, “Wait wait wait no Ali, I promise it’s not a stupid bet. I can win this one for sure. It’s about Tobin and Chris.” 

Ali’s blank stare indicates she’s not catching on so Ashlyn continues,”You know…. Because they’re together… despite what Kelley AND NOW ALEX think?” 

“Wait they’re together? When did they tell you that?” Ali questions. 

“Well… they haven’t said anything yet but babe, look at them.” 

Ali catches on, her eyes going wide as she swats her girlfriend. “ASH! Oh my god you’re unbelievable. You can’t be making assumptions like that! Not about your teammates.” 

Trust me, this isn’t much of an assumption, I know I’m right.” 

Ali just rolls her eyes, knowing there’s no changing the woman’s mind. “I won’t interfere with your crazy investigation but for the record, I’m with Kelley on this one.”

______ 

Most of the team makes it to the plane when the 15 minutes are up. Abby however, earns a lot of slightly amused eye rolls when she enters the cabin two minutes late, claiming she wanted her bagel warmed up. 

Christen settles in the seat next to Tobin without giving it much thought. That was one reason she liked flying as a team better than driving: they had this weird thing about bus seats where everyone had to sit with the same person in the same spot everytime, but for flying people could sit where they wanted. It hadn’t bothered Christen before, but lately, not being able to sit with Tobin on the buses because her and Alex have been seat buddies for years makes Christen unexplainably upset. Christen had tried to check in with herself during mindfulness sessions, saying things to herself like, _Relax it’s just bus seats_, saying _ You shouldn’t care anyway_. 

They had a row facing them, so Ashlyn and Pinoe sit down across from them. Christen doesn’t think much of it, but little does she know they’re plotting to get evidence. 

Tobin immediately grabs her copy of Harry Potter out of her bag, clearly not wanting to socialize. No one questions it, knowing Tobin likes to get wrapped up in her own little world. 

“So Chris,” Pinoe starts, “What do you think of your first world cup so far?” 

“Well, gosh I don’t even know where to start. This whole experience has been incredible, yet so stressful, and we’ve only completed the group stages.” 

“Yeah that’s true,” she says, “I’d be lying to you if I said these next few games will be less work than the previous ones, but believe me when I say if we win, they’ll be worth it.” 

“Enough of the motivational pep talk,” Ashlyn cuts in, “Let’s play some music!” 

Christen can hear Alex’s laughter from the other side of the plane. Soon, loud rap fills the plane. 

Christen has never been a huge fan of rap unless its being played at some energized event, but she could tolerate it in this setting. Tobin, on the other hand, was clearly getting irritated with all the noise, just wanting some peace. Without even thinking about it, Christen pulls out her sound-proof headphones, connects them to her phone, puts on her “Chill Music” playlist, and gingerly places the headphones over Tobin’s ears. Tobin tenses up at first, not really sure what Christen is doing, but starts to relax as “summer nights.” by halberd and Nion drowns everything else out. 

She feels Tobin looking at her, so she turns to face the brunette. Tobin’s looking right into her eyes and Christen feels her heart start to race. It’s ridiculous how much Tobin’s eyes can do to her. Tobin seems to be contemplating something for a minute, before she just mouths “thank you,” and goes back to her reading. 

Christen sighs in relief, Tobin make not have said anything, but her silent appreciation was enough to ease Christen’s conscience. 

An hour into the flight, Tobin puts her book down, grabs a blanket from below her seat, and tries to get comfortable leaning against the window. Christen can feel her moving around next to her. When Tobin can’t seem to find a good position, she gives up, slumping into her seat and falling asleep. It isn’t long before the plane jolts, causing a sleeping Tobin to fall against Christen’s shoulder. 

She jolts awake at the contact and immediately tries to sit up again, but Christen stops her. 

“Tobin, it’s fine, go back to sleep.” 

Tobin hesitates, but gives in quickly, nuzzling into Christen’s side before drifting back to sleep. Christen wants to rest her head on top of Tobin’s, wants to be as close to her as possible, but she feels like that’s crossing a boundary, especially in front of the whole team. Her internal debate is ended when she feels Tobin’s hand slip into hers, spreading warmth to every inch of her body. 

Tobin’s hand is on fire in hers, Christen can’t tell if it’s because her own hand is cold or if it’s something more. She finds herself playing with Tobin’s fingers, lacing them together, rubbing Tobin’s thumb, wanting to touch every inch of Tobin’s hand. It’s obvious, from the way Christen’s finger pads feel like they’re on fire, that there’s something there. But she’s not ready to admit that to herself, so she stills her hand. 

Christen looks down to see that their joined hands are in the open for everyone to see, something she’s _definitely_ not ready for. As subtly as she can, she moves Tobin’s blanket to cover their hands. 

It’s not nearly as subtle as she thinks. As soon as Tobin had fallen asleep on her shoulder, Pinoe had nudged Ashlyn, using her eyes to point at the pair across from them. Both of them had been watching the two like a hawk since then, and they hadn’t missed a thing. 

Ashlyn opens her phone, thanking the universe for plane wifi. 

[Ashlyn Harris: 1:19 PM]  
_**Are you seeing this????**_

[Megan Rapinoe: 1:19PM]  
_** YUPPPPPPPPPP**_

[Ashlyn Harris: 1:19 PM]  
_**heheheh :))**_

______


	13. Windy Sunset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A foul in a game sets Tobin off. Her and Christen talk about it after. Tobin makes a decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you for being so patient, I know it's basically been two weeks. This chapter more sets up what's to come, not super content heavy.

Once they arrive in Edmonton, the team spends the next day studying Colombia’s playing style, looking at game replays from the last stage, and working out like maniacs. Tobin swears she’s never felt so in shape. 

She’s also never felt so nervous on a game day. Tobin stands in front of the stadium, just staring at it. _ You’re gonna walk out of there later tonight either losing everything or moving on… God I don’t know what I’m going to do if we lose… we can’t lose… we just can’t.._ She’s clutching the strap of her bag so hard her knuckles are turning white.

Hands on her shoulders bring her out of her thoughts. Kling’s looking at her with gentle eyes, trying to convey that she’s feeling the same things as Tobin. Tobin looks back at her, trying not to let her vulnerability show, though she knows that between her shaky eyes and ragged breathing, it’s a bit late to be pretending to be fine.

“Breathe Tobin,” Kling says softly, “We have hours to practice before the game… don’t get stressed just yet.”

Tobin closes her eyes, takes a deep breath in, and slowly lets it out. Her eyes stay shut for a moment longer, taking a few seconds to collect herself. When she eventually opens them again, Kling is still there, making sure she’s okay. 

“C’mon Tobs, the rest of the team is already in the locker room. You don’t want to miss Kelley’s dancing do you?”

Tobin just smiles, following Kling into the stadium.  
______

The loud voices and music hit Tobin square in the face as soon as the door swings open. The scene in front of her is pretty familiar. Kelley and Allie are running around the room, stealing everyone’s socks, Ashlyn is trying to teach Alyssa how to whip and nae nae while Pinoe just laughs, and Ali, Julie, and Abby seem to be the only people actually getting into gamemode. Well also Carli, but she’s always in gamemode. 

Tobin looks at all her teammates, but she knows she’s not really looking at them. She’s looking _through_ them, around them, between them; looking for the one person she’s been dying to see since they left her hotel rooms. _ Where is Christen?_.

She gets her answer when Christen walks in from the bathrooms with Alex. Tobin’s eyes follow her as Christen makes her way to a bench. She almost chokes on her own spit when Christen’s hands immediately fall down to the bottom of her shirt, tugging if off and over her head, leaving her in just a sports bra. Tobin quickly looks away.

It’s not that Tobin’s never seen Christen like this, she’s seen her entire team in their sports bras, hell she’s seen Christen naked from the top up, but the circumstances were much different, and she wants to respect Christen’s privacy. Tobin knows the locker room before a game isn’t the time nor place to be checking out her _friend_, it’s just not cool.

She turns around, realizing she needs to change too. Over everyone’s chatting, she can still hear Ashlyn shout.

“Damn Press! That’s quite the mark! What have you been up to lately?”

Tobin freezes. _ How can she know about that? It’s been days… there’s no way it’s still there._ She spins around to look at Christen across the room. 

With her shirt off and all her dark hair up in a high ponytail, Christen’s collarbones are exposed. There’s no mistaking it: the purplish-red mark, while it is a bit faded, is still most definitely there. The hickey Tobin gave her that one time they almost went too far is **still** there. Christen’s eyes lock with hers and Tobin can tell she hasn’t formed an excuse yet. _ Uh oh_

Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones who heard Ashlyn.

Soon, Allie is joining in, Kelley right behind her.

“Pressy look at you! Who gave you that?”

“ChrisTEN... ohmy GOd!”

The whole team seems to be adding in, and Christen can do nothing but blush profusely. Tobin has to admit, she likes seeing the mark. She likes seeing evidence that she had Christen under her _begging_ for more. She likes seeing _her_ mark on Christen’s body.

“SOMEONE doesn’t have any respect for Coach Jill’s ‘no sex rule’during the group stages!”

Once Christen pulls herself together, she just smirks at her curious teammates. Her mark disappears from view as soon as Christen puts on her practice jersey. Tobin tries to ignore the feeling of disappointment deep in her chest.  
______

The hot summer air filling Tobin’s lungs only seems to be getting thicker as the seconds tick on. She’s been on for all 70 minutes of the game so far, and Tobin’s getting exhausted. In any other scenario, Tobin knows Jill would have subbed her off right now, knowing playing this long in such heat could have its consequences, but the U.S. is up 2-0 and Colombia’s bench is nowhere near as deep as theirs. Tobin knows Jill’s not making many subs because she wants to save players for the next round. 

Hope punts the ball up to Tobin, and all other thoughts except the ball now between her legs vanish. It’s always been like that for her; when she has the ball, nothing else matters. The cheers of the crowd disappear, the blinding overhead lights blur, and Tobin knows she’s in the zone. A Colombian defender manages to tackle the ball away before anything can come from the play, but Tobin’s still in the zone. She doesn’t notice the substitution board is up until she hears an all too familiar name being shouted over the loudspeaker.

**Coming in for Megan Rapinoe… Christen Press**

Tobin is out of the zone in an instant, unable to peel her eyes away from the black haired beauty jogging onto the field. Christen’s hair is up and straightened in a perfect ponytail and Tobin feels her knees weaken as it swishes from side to side at each stride Christen takes. _ She’s a goddess… a literal goddess._

Suddenly the ref’s whistle is blowing and the game is starting up again. Tobin isn’t ready. For a split second, Tobin can feel everyone moving, but she’s still starting at Christen. _ Snap out of it dude, you’re playing in the freaking World Cup_. 

Luckily, Tobin is able to start running before anyone suspects something’s up. She brings her focus back to the task at hand, back to the game, but in the corner of her mind, she’s keeping track of where Christen is on the field, at least more so than she is for her other teammates.

When Tobin gets passed the ball, she knows where Christen is all the way on the other side of the field. She _knows_ Christen is watching her too. She can feel her gaze as she dribbles past a midfielder, poking it through the legs of another. She knows Christen is in the perfect position… so she sends the ball across the field.

Tobin can’t help but smile as Christen expertly settles the ball before taking off towards the goal. _ Damn she’s good_.

Christen is almost at the edge of the box when it happens. Out of nowhere, a Colombian defender slides into her, completely missing the ball, and tacking Christen to the ground in the process. Tobin’s heart drops when Christen doesn’t immediately get up. _Get up get up get up…_

The referee doesn’t blow his whistle, the game doesn’t stop. Tobin’s blood begins to boil. _ Why the **fuck** isn’t he calling that?_

When Christen stays down, the ref blows the whistle. _ Finally_. Tobin’s at her side in a matter of seconds.   
When Tobin reaches her, Christen looks a bit shaken. She kneels down to her side immediately, “Chris, are you okay?”

Christen can’t seem to speak, only able to keep taking deep breaths. Abby provides the answer Tobin is looking for, “She got the wind knocked out of her, give her a second.”

Tobin’s hand instinctively reaches out to grasp Christen’s. It’s only then that Tobin notices how dainty Christen’s wrists are. They’re the smallest she’s ever seen on a grown woman, much less on a professional soccer player. Tobin knows it’s completely irrational, she knows that Christen is a strong capable female athlete, but seeing how frail parts of her are makes Tobin realize how easily she could be injured.

_ A tackle of that strength, that could’ve really hurt her..._

Christen’s squeezes her hand, bringing Tobin out of her thoughts and back into the present moment. The gesture is enough to convey to the brunette that she is, in fact , okay, even though she still is having trouble breathing. 

Tobin gives her a faint smile. That smile disappears when she hears the ref’s call: no foul. 

All of her teammates are shocked, and immediately begin to protest, trailing behind the referee, trying to reason with him. Tobin, by far, is the most angry, and more importantly, the most vocal.

She’s in the ref’s face. “REFEREE! That’s a foul! She didn’t even touch the ball!” 

The referee isn’t saying back anything of substance, just that he’s made is decision. Tobin is furious. “THAT TACKLE WAS NOT FAIR GAME SHE MADE CONTACT WITH THE PLAYER FIRST!!” 

Abby and Becky grab her arms and yank her back before she can say or do something to the ref that she would regret later. Tobin resists their grip, pushing back, telling them to get off her.

“Tobin.” Tobin freezes. She turns her head to find that Christen has gotten up, and is now staring intently at her.

The seriousness in Christen’s eyes leaves no room for discussion, “I’m fine, drop it.”

Tobin just gulps, and runs back to her side of the field.  
______

The game ends 2-0. Another victory for the U.S.. While Tobin is relieved they are moving on, she can’t help but feel dissatisfied with how the game went. More specifically, how the game treated Christen. 

The whole team is sitting in a circle, everyone having decided to pile into Kelley’s room to play a massive game of cards after the game. The room is filled with chatter, everyone still buzzing with post-game energy. Becky is currently trying to hush down the group so she can explain the game rules to those who don’t know how to play, but Tobin’s completely checked out. 

All she can do is think back to right when the game ended.   
_  
The final whistle had blown and the whole team had rushed onto the field, excited to be moving to the next round. Tobin’s head had been dizzy with exhaustion, her surroundings spinning in her eyesight. Someone had crashed into her, the impact causing Tobin to close her eyes. Arms had frantically wrapped around her, and Tobin hadn’t needed to open her eyes to see who it was. She knew who it was, she’d have known that embrace anywhere. _Christen..._ Tobin had taken a deep inhale, breathing in Christen’s familiar scent of cocoa butter, pulling Christen flush against her. 

“Hi…” she whispered softly against the side of Christen’s head, “How are you feeling?”

Christen hid her face in Tobin’s neck as she spoke, completely ignoring Tobin’s question, “Gosh Tobin… You were being so reckless I thought you were gonna get a yellow card.”

Tobin had chuckled pulling back, and forcing Christen to meet her gaze, “Hey… Chris I’m sorry if I went a little overboard, that tackle just looked pretty nasty.”

Christen hadn’t been able to hide her faint blush at hearing how concerned Tobin still was. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but it was interrupted as the two women became the center of a team celebration dogpile.  
_

Tobin snaps out of her memory when she feels Kelley shoving a hand of cards at her.

“Here Tobs, take it we’re playing some whack game of Becky’s.”

Tobin takes the cards reluctantly. _ I don’t really want to be here right now… _  
After a couple of rounds, most of the team is starting to really understand how to play. It’s getting intense and everyone is laughing and screaming as cards are played. Everyone except Tobin, the loud setting becoming way too much for her. Tobin lets out a huff of frustrated fatigue, and Christen is next to her in seconds, leaning close.

“You look overwhelmed. Wanna get out of here?” Christen offers.

Tobin can only sigh, “Please.”

Christen just nods, standing up, and offering her hands to pull Tobin up as well. Their attempt at exiting does not go unnoticed by the team.

“Woah woah! Where are you two going?” Kelley shoots.

Christen responds nonchalantly, fabricating a white lie on the spot, “Tobin and I are both exhausted, so we’re headed back to our room to sleep. Enjoy your cards.”

Kelley just pouts, and on the other side of the room, Pinoe and Ashlyn exchange knowing looks.  
______

When they get back to their room, Tobin flops onto Christen’s bed, just needing a minute to herself. She notes that Christen makes no move to get in the way of that. 

After a moment, Christen speaks, “So… I mean you can go to sleep if you want, but I’m still pretty awake and I want to do something.”

Tobin turns around to face her, “What do you suggest?”

The black haired girl tilts her head to the side, “Take a walk with me?”

Her heart skips a beat at the suggestion. Her and Christen rarely spent their free time doing anything but mindlessly making out, much less doing something like taking walks. 

Tobin tries to hide her interest, “Yeah.. sure why not.”

They quickly change out of their jerseys and shorts, Tobin opting for sweat pants and a shirt while Christen chooses a crewneck and jean shorts. Just as they get to the door, Christen notes Tobin’s thin shirt.

“Tobin I know it’s summer and the sun is still out this far north, but bring a jacket it might get cold.”

“Might get cold? Just how long do you plan on keeping me out?” Tobin asks playfully. 

Christen just smiles and rolls her eyes, shoving Tobin back into the room as she makes her way down the hall, “Grab a jacket you dork.”

Tobin grabs the first sweatshirt on the floor she finds and rushes to join Christen in the elevator, not wanting to waste any time she gets with the girl who has quickly become one of her favorite people.  
______

Neither of them realize Tobin grabbed Christen’s sweatshirt until they’re a few blocks away from the hotel. They’re walking in comfortable silence, when Christen recognizes the pattern on the sleeve. 

“Tobin…”

She just gets a hum in response. 

“Tobin why are you in my nike hoodie?”

That gets her attention just fine. Tobin stops in her tracks and looks down at the hoodie. 

“Oh…” Christen can make out a blush on her face. “I uhh, I–” Tobin stutters, “Sorry it was the first thing I saw. I didn’t even realize…”

Christen interrupts her, disliking the sense of panic in Tobin’s voice, “Oh my god Tobin stop.”

Tobin’s head snaps up, wide eyes meeting hers. Christen doesn’t expect to feel her heart pace pick up at the sight; Tobin’s baby hairs sticking every which way, the rest of it pulled in that half ponytail half bun Tobin seems to love so much, her mouth is slightly open, and Christen can’t help but wish she could close the gap and kiss the growing worry off her face. Tobin just looks perfect in this moment, and on top of it, she’s looking like that, in _ Christen’s clothing_. The black sweatshirt is a little tighter on Tobin, due to her broader shoulders, but Christen loves it. She gulps, knowing she should probably start talking again, “Seriously, don’t worry about it, I don’t mind.”

Tobin looks surprised, “You don’t?”

“Nope.” She tries not to let on to how much she’d like to see Tobin in more of her clothes.

Relief immediately washes over the brunette's face, and soon she’s flashing her signature grin at Christen, “You had me worried for a sec Chris.”

Christen sees her opportunity. She starts walking again, taking a hold of Tobin’s hand, and lacing their fingers together. “Speaking of worrying,” she starts, “You really had me concerned the other day at the airport. Today you seemed better, but still..”

Tobin noticeably tenses up, and Christen starts to backtrack, “I mean– yo–you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, I jus–”

“Chris. It’s fine.” Tobin says, “I’m sorry if I worried you, I was just feeling really out of it.” She isn’t ready to tell Christen the real reason; that she was upset _and still is_ because she’s almost sure this doesn’t mean anything to Christen.

“Yeah I thought you were even more quiet than usual. Did something happen?”

Tobin knows she can’t lie to Christen, she knows there’s no point, “I don’t think I’m ready to talk about it yet, if that’s okay.” 

Thinking about any of it is still too much for her, too upsetting. Having Christen put her on the spot right now is too much.

Christen stops walking. “Tobin.” She grabs both of her hands, trying to force the brunette to look at her, “Of course it’s okay. You don’t have to say or talk about anything you don’t want to.”

Tobin’s honey brown eyes just stare back at hers, full of raw emotion and vulnerability. Christen’s heart melts, because while Tobin still may be keeping things to herself, there’s something so soft and meaningful about how Tobin seems to be trying to let her in with her eyes. She just gives Tobin a soft smile, hoping to soothe whatever she’s going through. Christen is stunned when she sees tears start to form. _Oh no…_

“Oh Tobs,” she pulls her in for a tight hug. Tobin immediately melts into her embrace, burying her face in Christen’s shoulder as she begins to shake. Christen doesn’t know what to do, she just stands there holding the girl, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, her heart breaking at every jagged breath Tobin lets out.

Tobin seems to have only needed a minute, because soon her arms remove themselves from being wrapped around Christen’s neck and she stands straight up, wiping her eyes.

“Are you okay?”

Tobin just gives a small nod. “Can we keep walking?”

“Yeah,” Christen replied softly, “Yeah of course we can.”  
______

10 minutes later and the two women find themselves sitting on a small grass hill overlooking the city of Edmonton. The sun is low in the sky, casting an orange-pinkish hue across the sky. 

Tobin is half laying, half sitting between Christen’s legs. As soon as they had sat down, Christen knew Tobin needed to be held, knowing Tobin always needed human contact when she’s feeling fragile. Tobin hasn’t said much, just choosing to look out at the city while being wrapped in Christen’s arms.

Christen breaks the comfortable silence, testing the waters, “I can’t believe it’s almost ten at night and the sun is just now starting to set.”

“Yeah, I mean, like you said that is how things are when you’re this far north during the summer.”

She lets out a small, playful scoff, “Eh, I know I said that… but still, it would be pitch black at this time back in California. I don’t know what I’d do if I lived here year round. Just think about how early it gets dark in the winter.”

Tobin’s fingers draw patterns on her leg, “That’s true, I wouldn’t want to live up here either. I like being in the dark during summer.”

Christen is confused, “Wait what? In the dark?”

Tobin just laughs, “No not like that. I just mean that in the summertime as a kid, my siblings and I would go to the park close by and play under the lights. None of them played soccer like I did, but they still kicked the ball around with me… Looking back, I was– and still am, so lucky to have them.”

Christen is taken aback with Tobin’s confession. She didn’t expect they’d be having a conversation like this now, but she’s loving the innocent intimacy of it. 

“Oh?” She tries to get more out of Tobin, “You don’t really talk about your family that much.” 

Tobin sighs, “Yeah, I know. I mean I know I don’t talk much in general, but I guess I’ve just always felt protective of my family, and honestly protective of everything in my life.”

Christen’s mind immediately flashes back to the game earlier that night. How angry Tobin had gotten when her foul wasn’t called. Maybe angry isn’t the right word… it’s more like… 

_More like protective_ Christen thinks to herself. Her heart flutters about the implications of that. If anything, Tobin’s behavior at the game hints that maybe she _does_ want something more. That maybe she _does_ like Christen more than their current situation allows her to.

Christen wants to ask Tobin about what she truly feels, she desperately wants to. She lets out a sigh. But Christen knows now isn’t the time, not with Tobin on the fine line between okay and not okay. Instead, Christen just takes the safe route, “Why do you think you’re so protective of everything?”

Tobin takes a minute to think of a response. “I think,” she starts, “that in my experience, you know, with being a known soccer player and doing ads and such, everyone wants something from you. Like you go in for a photoshoot, or uh maybe an interview, and everyone there wants to show a part of you, not all of you. And after a while of all that you start to question if you’re letting them project what they want you to be, onto you…. I don’t know Christen, I don’t think I’m making much sense..”

“No, you are. Keep going.” Christen encourages.

“I guess…. After a while I started to feel like I was changing into that people wanted me to be, and that was really hard to face, you know? I’ve always tried… to stay true to who I am, and so it’s hard having to let everyone try to turn me into something that I’m not. When it comes to my family, I want to keep them out of this as much as I can. I couldn’t forgive myself if the press or any organization were to try to take advantage of my family or change them, all because they’re connected to me.”

Christen has no words. _She’s so damn considerate…_

“Wow Tobin,” she says quietly, “You’re… you’re so…”

Tobin twists in her arms to face her, “I’m “so” what?”

“You’re so compassionate,” Christen whispers, “It’s ridiculous.”

They smile at each other for a while. The sun is hitting Christen’s face at the perfect angle, setting her green eyes on fire. Tobin wants to close the gap, to feel Christen’s lips on hers, but now is not the time. _ Don’t ruin the moment Tobin, you don’t really know what she wants._

Christen clears her throat, seeming to just now realize the sun has set. She moves a little, and Tobin catches on, moving off her lap so they can both stand up.

Before Tobin can say anything, Christen’s pulling her into a tight hug. “Thank you for opening up Tobin, it means a lot.”

Tobin squeezes her hand, “Thanks for listening. I really needed that.”

“Of course, any time. Seriously Tobin I mean it. But it’s getting colder, we should head back...” Christen starts to walk away, unaware that Tobin isn’t following her.

Once Christen’s a couple of paces ahead, Tobin speaks up, “Christen.”

Christen spins around to look back at her, her eyebrows slightly raised at why Tobin still hasn’t moved. 

A gust of wind picks up, making Christen’s hair blow to the side, covering part of her face, and time stands still for a moment in Tobin’s world. Christen immediately pushes the strands back to where they belong, laughing to herself. To anyone else, there was nothing special about that moment, but to Tobin, things have never been more clear. The way Christen looks right now, with the sunset in the back, her hair blowing wildly in the breeze, and Christen smiling at her without a care in the world, _ She’s the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever met._

“Tobin… are you coming?”

Tobin blinks hard, forgetting why she had hung back in the first place, but now knowing what she wants to do. “Yeah, sorry.. I just need a moment. Start walking back, I’ll catch up with you.”

“Okay…” Christen is hesitant, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Tobin answers honestly, grinning.

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Okay,” Christen says, and starts walking away.

Tobin just takes a moment for herself, looking out at the sunset. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath in, just re-envisioning Christen in that moment. _She’s perfect_, Tobin thinks to herself, _She’s perfect and she’s all I want_. 

Tobin then jogs to catch up with Christen, noting how Christen immediately links their fingers together. It was decided, she was going to ask Christen Press out.


	14. Shopping Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin and Christen spend the day shopping, before realizing they forgot about team bonding...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I tried making this chapter a little longer, lmk what you think... enjoy this one ;)  
______

Tobin’s been sitting in an uncomfortable chair, with bright and hot lights pointed at her for the past hour and a half. She’s been answering questions that you could look up the answer to online, for the past hour and a half. _ God I hate interviews. _

She lets her eyes roam around the set. No one really wants to be there at this point, Tobin can tell. The camera man looks bored out of his skull, the lighting crew has let the equipment slip _twice_ today, just because they haven’t been paying enough attention. The only one who seems like they’re genuinely interested in what is happening in that dark, stuffy room, is the annoyingly chipper interviewer, in his bright purple paisley shirt. _ I mean… he has to pretend to want to be here, he’s the goddamn interviewer,_ Tobin thinks to herself. It’s only then she realizes his mouth has stopped moving, indicating he probably asked something and she’s _probably_ supposed to answer. _ shit…_

She clears her throat, “I’m sorry, can you repeat the question?”

The interviewer, _ I think his name is John? Wait no James, no thats not it…_, smiles a little too big, “Of course Ms Heath. What’s the plan for the lineup in your upcoming game against China?”

_This idiot…_. “Um, well…” Tobin scratches her head, forcing a small smile, “I’m sorry but I hope you can understand that I’m not at liberty to give off information about any of that. Ya know? Because China could watch this and then have a huge advantage…”

The man oversells the ‘understanding look’, “Ah yes I see, of course. How about this question: Do you think that any combination of your team’s players could be a winning lineup against China?”  
_ What the hell?_ “Well I mean of course not, yeah the whole team is phenominally good in my opinion but everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Our best foot depends on who we play, so we aren’t going to just throw a random combination of players on the field…” Tobin answers honestly. 

_Thirty more minutes of this bullshit and then you can leave._  
______  
Christen’s waiting for her turn outside. The interviews are going by jersey number, so the remaining girls waiting with her are Ashlyn, Julie, Abby, Alyssa, and Kling. She’s in a conversation with Kling about who knows what when Tobin comes in. _ Damn she looks tired._ Even so, she’s still beautiful to Christen. 

“Ash, your turn,” Tobin sighs.

Ashlyn looks up from her phone, “Wow Tobs you look like you’ve been through hell. Is it really that bad.”

Tobin groans, “Why don’t you get in there and see for yourself. The man doesn’t stop smiling.”

“Shit, and to think I was looking forward to a good interview. You win some and lose some I guess.” Ashlyn gets up and walks into the darker room, closing the door in that loud way she always does.

Christen’s been watching Tobin during the whole exchange. She knows the girl hates interviews, and thanks to their heart-to-heart yesterday, she knows why too. Christen knows that Tobin probably just wants to go back to the hotel and rest, but selfishly, she doesn’t her to leave just yet.

Tobin’s heading for the exit, and Christen’s talking before her brain has caught up, “Rough interview?”

Tobin’s turning around and walking back to her as if she had been waiting for an excuse to be near her. The small observation makes Christen feel warm all over. She notices Tobin’s mood has miraculously, and instantly changed from exhausted to pleasant.

Tobin’s smirking, “Just wait until it’s your turn… you’re gonna hate it too.”

“Oh? What makes you say that?”

“I feel like I know enough about what ticks you off to say so,” Tobin winks at her.

Christen can’t help but lick her lips. _ Oh the things I’d do to her if we were alone._

“Maybe you’re right. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” she offers.

Tobin feels the conversation dying, and she hates it. She doesn’t want to leave yet, she was relieved when Christen had given her a reason to talk, but now that reason was gone. It’s a little crazy how addicted she is to Christen. In the past Tobin would have hated that fact, but she’s trying to embrace it. _C’mon Tobin, you know you want to spend the whole day with her. Ask her if she has plans._

Christen beats her to it, “Tobin, are you doing anything later?”

Her heart skips, “Just going back to the hotel, why?”

“I need to do some shopping, but going alone kinda sounds boring. You want to come?”

Tobin answers “yes”a little too quickly, making her blush. Her eagerness only makes Christen smile. _She is SO cute_

“Perfect, I’ll see you later then.”  
______

Tobin’s in bed when Christen comes back. She notes the drained look on the girls face as they closes the door.

She can’t hide her amusement at the sight, knowing exactly what Christen’s feeling, “So… how was the interview?”

Christen shoots her a death stare before falling face first into the bed text to Tobin, groaning into the blankets.

“So boring Tobs.”

Tobin can’t stop the way her cheek turn red at the nickname. _ Who gave her permission to do this to me…_

“Well,” Tobin starts, “At least it’s over…”

Christen catches her drift, pulling herself up into a sitting position, “Yes, you’re right. You ready to go?”

Tobin gestures down at her pajama pants, “Yes, clearly.”

She rolls her eyes, “Okay smart-ass, go get some clothes on then.”

Tobin just smirks at her as she gets up to change. Christen wants to wipe that smirk off her face, even better, _kiss_ that smirk off her face, but it doesn’t feel right. She had realized, last night, that their dynamic had changed. It was much more soft now, and pushing Tobin up against the wall and kissing her breathless just didn’t seem to fit their usual mood anyway.

To say it disappointed Christen would be an understatement. A BIG understatement. She loves kissing Tobin, she absolutely loves it, and she hasn’t felt right about doing it in two days. _Two whole days_. Christen does like this new layer of their “friendship” _It could have been more if you hadn’t been an idiot Chris_, she likes being close to Tobin, and hearing Tobin talk about her family only made her feelings for the brunette stronger. But she just wishes she could have both. _But that’s a relationship Chris. That’s what people who date have. We aren’t dating_.

“Yeah go get some clothes, and maybe try to wear your own this time,” Christen quips.  
Tobin blushes furiously, and it makes Christen’s heart swell. Tobin’s blushes never fail to make her feel hopeful, hopeful Tobin could be even just half as into her that she is into Tobin. _Yet,_ Christen thinks, _We aren’t dating **yet**... you just need to figure out how to make that happen_.  
______  
15 minutes later, and the two are standing at a bus stop just three blocks away from the hotel. The team did have a van that would take players wherever they wanted on rest days, but Tobin and Christen had both decided it would be more fun to take the bus. Secretly, both girls didn’t want to take a team van and risk other people asking to come with them, not that either of them would admit it out loud. 

“I can’t remember the last time I took a public bus,” Christen says, kind of just to herself, because she knows Tobin is wrapped up in looking at the map. Still, Tobin turns around to face her. 

“Really? I used to take the bus all the time when I played for PSG.”

Christen just shrugs, “I don’t know. I rarely have spare time. When I do, most of the time I’m in LA, and then at that point I’d rather just drive or walk. Not to mention some of the buses in LA are really gross.”

The comment is 100% in alignment with Christen’s personality, but Tobin still pretends to be shocked, “You’re telling me that the all-mighty Christen Press, is afraid of a dirty bus seat.”

“Oh my god Tobin, yes, because you have no idea what the grimy coating is made of…”

“You’re such a princess Chris…”

Christen’s eyes narrow, “Take that back Heath.”

Tobin just smirks at her as the bus pulls up. The two women make their way up the couple stairs. Just as Christen’s reaching to pay the bus fare, Tobin’s slapping her hand away.

“Christen!” she hisses, “Don’t touch the money bowl, we don’t know what the grimy coating is made of.”

Christen listens intently, taking her seriously until she realizes the brunette is making fun of her. Tobin looks way too pleased with herself, and receives a well earned swat to the arm.

“You’re impossible,” Christen says while guiding Tobin to the standing area in the back of the bus, “Why do I tell you anything?”

“What can I say?” Tobin pretends to flip her hair over her shoulder, “I’m just so easy to talk to.”  
They just stare at each other for a second, before Christen can’t hold it together. She bursts out laughing. Tobin’s giggling too.

The bus suddenly brakes hard, sending both girls stumbling forward. Tobin runs into a pole, and Christen crashes into her back. “OOOF!”

The bus jerks forward again, and Tobin has enough sense to know they’re about to be thrown backwards. She’s also aware there’s an elderly woman in a wheelchair behind them, and a collision could be serious. Instinctively, Tobin twists around, hooking one arm around the pole, and grabbing Christen by the waist with the other, holding them both in place. 

She hears Christen gasp, but she can’t tell if its because of the sudden contact, or if it’s just the feeling of the accelerating bus. Once they’re moving at a constant speed again, and both girls have regained their balance, Tobin knows it’s time to remove her arm from around Christen, but she doesn’t want to. _Come on Tobin, take your arm away… it’s time_. 

Much to her surprise, _and delight_, she feels Christen’s arm move over hers, holding it in place as she leans back into Tobin. Tobin’s grateful they’re facing the same way, grateful that Christen can’t see the blush on her face. To say the gesture gave her butterflies would be a massive understatement.  
______

They get off the bus, Tobin receiving another swat for some snarky dirty bus comment on the way out. Christen’s fake pouting, claiming Tobin isn’t holding up her end of their deal to be nice to each other. Tobin just laughs at her, trying to make ‘amends’ by letting Christen pick where they get lunch.

Christen’s face lights up at the suggestion, and soon she’s pulling Tobin into a Vietnamese restaurant. Tobin can only smile at Christen’s eagerness, _ She’s so easy to please_.

They sit down at a table outside. Tobin loves the setting; the sun out, but an overhead keeping the direct sunlight out. The restaurant had big plants everywhere and it just felt so relaxed; so natural.

“So,” Christen says as they’re looking through the menu, “What are you thinking about getting?”

“No clue,” Tobin responds, “But from the way you beelined over here I take it you’ve been here?”

“So observant. Yes I’ve been here, it’s an international chain. They have one in LA and it’s SO good. They have these banh bot loc that are to die for.”

“Those are the little clear dumplings that are filled with like... meat right?” Tobin asks, adding “I want to guess and say it’s pork but I really have no clue.”  
“Yeah, normally they have meat but the ones I get here are vegan and have bean paste instead.”

Tobin scrunches her face up, “Vegan?! You’re not even vegan, why would you do that to yourself?”

“Oh my god Tobin, there’s nothing wrong with being vegan.”

Tobin scoffs, “I mean yeah, you’re technically right, but vegans totally have a warped sense of what tastes good.”

Christen just shoots her a knowing look. “You’re gonna eat those words when you taste these things.”

“Hold up, what do you mean? I’m not eating any of that vegan crap. Nope, no thank you,” Tobin crosses her arms defiantly. 

“Yes… you are.”

“What makes you so sure I’ll give in that easy?” 

Christen smirks, “Because I’m not letting you order any other food until you try these things.”

Tobin’s jaw drops. “You wouldn’t… you couldn– that’s just cruel Chris.”

As if on cue, a waitress comes over with a notepad and pen.

“Good afternoon ladies,” she starts, “I’m Charlotte and I’ll be your server for the day. Can I start you two off with anything to drink?”

“I’ll take a coke, thanks” Tobin says.

Christen cuts in, “She will absolutely not be taking a coke, we’re both on a training diet and clearly she has no self control,” Christen smiles at the waitress, “Make it two unsweetened ginger iced teas, and we aren’t really ready to order any food but we know we want an order of the vegetarian banh bot loc.”

Charlotte seems to find the pair’s dynamic amusing, smiling as she writes Christen’s order down. “Two unsweetened ginger ice teas and one order of the dumplings coming right up.”

“Thank you,” Christen offers sincerely. Tobin just grumbles, pouting over the loss of her soda.

As soon as their waitress leaves, Tobin leans forward, a glint of mischief in her eyes, “And just what makes you think you get to order for me?”

Christen leans in too, close enough so that their faces are just inches apart. She’s not sure where any of this newfound confidence has come from, but the way Tobin’s pupils are visibly expanding tells her she’s making the right choices. “You seem unable to stop me. That’s why.”

They banter for a couple of minutes, not minding the interruption when Charlotte comes back.

“Two iced teas,” she sets down the tall, slender glasses, “and the banh bot loc,” placing a beautifully yet simplistically plated order of dumplings between them. 

“Thank you, it looks delicious, “ Christen says.

“Are you guys ready to order your main dishes?”

Tobin opens her mouth, seeing her opportunity, but Christen cuts her off, “Sorry, not yet. Could you give us five minutes?”

“Of course.” And with that, she leaves.

Tobin pouts at Christen, “I hate you.”

“No you don’t,” she replies confidently, picking up one of the small dumplings with her chopsticks and placing the whole thing in her mouth. Tobin’s mouth goes dry as she watches Christen close her eyes, tilt her head back and let out a moan of satisfaction. “God these are so good.”

_ She’s so hot, what the hell…_

Christen picks up another one, and holds it out in front of Tobin. “C’mon Tobin, say AH.”

Tobin clamps her mouth shut, turning her head to the side. _God look at that jawline...focus Chris, you’re on a mission_

“Tobin!”

No response. _Hmm… maybe time to switch tactics…._

“Toby…” The nickname has the desired effect on the brunette and Tobin’s face snaps back to look at Christen, instantly regretting it when she sees Christen has put on her best puppy dog eyes. “Please… for me?”

Tobin closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, before opening them again to give Christen that ‘This really isn’t fair, but fine’ look. Reluctantly, she leans in, and opens her mouth. The smile she gets from Christen as she places the small dumpling in her mouth instantly tells her that it was worth it no matter how trash it tastes.

Tobin chews it slowly, keeping a poker face as she swallows, really taking in the flavors.

“And?” Christen’s getting impatient, “what do you think?”

Tobin doesn’t respond, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of being absolutely, 100% correct about them being delicious just yet.

“Ahem.. I’m waiting for an answer.”

Tobin mumbles something quietly, far too quietly for Christen to be able to hear.

“Fine,” Christen huffs, “I guess that just means more for me then.” She picks up another one and has almost brought it to her mouth when suddenly, Tobin’s hand is on her arm, yanking her hand with the chopsticks across the table, leaning forward and snatching the dumpling with her mouth before Christen knows what hit her. 

Christen blinks hard, “Did you just–”

Tobin looks so guilty yet satisfied as she eats the stolen dumpling. A wide grin spreads across the black haired woman’s face, “Tobin! You’re impossible!” Christen picks up another one, closing her eyes and shaking her head at the brunette, and she puts it in her mouth.

When she opens her eyes, Tobin is staring at her expectantly. Christen is confused.

“What?” she prompts.

Tobin leans forward and opens her mouth. The implied requests has Christen’s stomach doing somersaults. She tries to play it cool as she picks up the last one. “You are such a child Tobin,” she says, shaking her head again as she feeds it to Tobin.

Tobin just takes it between her teeth, closing her mouth and biting down, groaning in satisfaction like Christen had before.

“I change my mind,” Tobin says matter of factly, “SOME vegan food is okay.”

“Uh huh,” Christen deadpans.

“Okay fine, some vegan food is amazing,” she admits. “I hope you know what this means though.”

“And what’s that?”

Tobin shoots her that charming smile, and Christen knows she’s gonna fulfill whatever request comes out of her mouth, “You’re ordering the rest of my lunch for me.”

Christen’s smile has never been bigger as she picks back up the menu, “Okay so in that case, I think we should order multiple dishes and share them. I want to try the Ca Kho To, and I always get this eggplant dish…” 

Tobin can’t help the fuzzy warm feeling she gets as Christen starts rambling on about food. _ I could get used to this_.  
______

They’ve been window shopping for an hour when Tobin asks to stop for ice cream. 

“Tobin!” Christen laughs, “What part of we’re in the middle of the World Cup and we need to stay in shape do you not understand?”

“C’mon Chris, Jill will never find out!”

“You’re unbelievable,” she says, trying to ignore Tobin’s puppy dog eyes. 

“Look Chris there’s a stand!” Tobin grabs her hand and starts pulling her in the direction of ice cream.

Christen can’t help but giggle, “Tobin! For the last time. No ice cream! Wait ew that’s not even ice cream that’s Dippin’ Dots.”

The brunette whips around, the surprise evident in her expression, “Do you not like Dippin’ Dots?”

“Nope,” she pops the ‘p’.

Tobin’s jaw drops, “You’re horrible, you know that?” She drops Christen’s hand as she takes those last few steps, knowing Christen won’t follow her any further. After a minute, she comes back with a clear bowl full of white and brown orbs.

Christen just rolls her eyes at the sight. It’s only when Tobin’s holding out a spoon that she realizes she’s expected to eat it too.

“Oh no, Tobin thanks I’m fine,” she tries as they start walking again. Christen thinks she’s off the hook after a couple of minutes, but as they pass an empty alley, she finds out just how wrong she is. 

Tobin pulls her into the small space between buildings, out of the public eye. She’s gently pushing Christen against the wall and leaning in. Christen doesn’t know what _the hell_ sparked the change in mood but knows she’d never pass up an opportunity to kiss Tobin. She Her mouth slightly parts open, but instead of feeling Tobin’s lips, she feels a cold plastic spoon with ice cream enter her mouth.

Christen eyes snap open to see Tobin looking all too proud of herself as she slides the empty spoon out. 

“Gotcha,” she says playfully.

Christen swallows the ice cream dots, hating that they’re better than she remembers. 

The brunette is looking at her expectantly, secretly loving the way Christen’s breathing has become heavier with their close proximity. She’s waiting for the admittance. 

Christen makes eye contact with her. “Tobin,” she says, breathless, “You can’t do things like that.”

Tobin leans in, and Christen swears her heart will beat out of her chest any second. Tobin never fails to have this effect on her, and she hasn’t even done anything yet. Her breath is hot on her ear, “I just need to hear it.”

Christen feels something low in her stomach coil at the phrase, remembering the last time Tobin had said those words to her. _On top of you, making you scream under her… that’ what happened last time..._.

Christen’s too flustered to do anything but push her away, “You don’t play fair, and I’m not saying it” she grumbles.

Spurred on by her reaction, Tobin links their hands together as they walk back towards the shops, “I play to win.”

They shop for another hour, Christen finally finding what she came for: cute dog clothes for Morena and Khaleesi. Tobin’s heart melts when she hears how sweetly Christen speaks about her dogs. 

They enter a couple of clothing shops, Tobin immediately beelining for the sneaker section. Christen isn’t sure how she manages it, but she somehow gets Tobin to try on a dress. 

“Chris,” Tobin whines, “Not only is it a dress but it’s so not my style.”

“Come on, don’t be a baby Tobin, just put it on.”

Tobin doesn’t move, she tries again, “Please, for me?”

The brunette only scoffs, taking the hanger from Christen as she makes her way to the dressing room.

After a minute, “Okay it’s on but I’m not opening the curtain, you’ll just have to trust me.”

Christen’s not letting Tobin get away with that, “Absolutely not Tobin, let’s see it. Open the curtain.”

No response, “Or I will,” she adds, taking a loud step towards Tobin’s dressing room.

The curtain opens quickly in response. Tobin doesn’t process what’s happening until she sees a bright light flash across her vision, and Christen holding her phone up. 

“Christen…” Tobin says, the warning evident in her tone, “You better delete that.”

She seems to listen, sighing and rolling her eyes as she moves to stand next to Tobin, showing her as she deletes the photo.

_ That was easy….. Too easy…._ Tobin looks at her, “You took more than one didn’t you…”

The guilty grin on Christen’s face is a dead giveaway, and she knows it, trying to move out of Tobin’s reach. Tobin’s too fast, grabbing her waist and dragging her into the dressing room, all the while Christen’s shrieking and trying to wriggle out of her grasp.

She does a good job of keeping her phone out of the brunette’s reach, with Tobin pulling her in cose from the back. 

“Christen c’mon!” Tobin spins her around so that they’re facing each other.

“Not a chance Heath, it’s too priceless. Just think of the blackmail materi–mmfph”

Tobin’s mouth swallows up the rest of her sentence, her lips all pushy and needy against Christen’s. As always, she finds herself becoming intoxicated with Tobin’s scent….really with everything about Tobin. The feeling of Tobin’s arms around her back, keeping them pressed together, the little moans that escape her mouth every once and while, vibrating into Christen’s mouth and through her entire body. Tobin starts to back them up, trying her best to keep their mouths attached. Christen’s common sense comes back and she reaches behind Tobin, quickly shutting the changing room curtain before it becomes out of reach. 

When her back hits the wall, Christen realizes Tobin still hasn’t lost sight of her goal, feeling the brunette’s hands slip into hers, and try to grab the phone. _I hope she doesn’t think it would be that easy_. Christen roughly nips at her bottom lip, shocking Tobin enough make her lose her grip on the device. 

“You don’t play fair,” the brunette mumbles.

Christen rests her forehead against Tobin’s, parroting back the response she was given earlier: “I play to win.”

There are so many things swimming through both of their heads right now, so many things to say, so many things to ask, so many things to . But all of those are put on hold when Christen’s phone goes off. They both groan, knowing she should answer it.

“It’s from Kelley..”

Christen picks up the phone, expecting Tobin to back away, but instead the brunette stays right where she is, keeping Christen against the wall, keeping their foreheads pressed together. 

“He–Hello?” _God she makes me nervous_

[Hey Pressii….. We’re all wondering where you are…]

“What do you mean? Why?

[UH HELLO? How could you forget that the whole team decided to go paint vases to bond? Everyone’s here except you and Tobin. You wouldn’t happen to know where she is would you?]

Tobin snickers quietly, and Christen blushes. She tries to play it cool, _ Remember Chris, they have no reason to suspect anything like that_, “Yeah actually she’s with me. I completely forgot about the painting thing though, we’ll be right over. Send me the address?”

[Yeah no problem, bye Chris, see you soon]

Christen hangs up, sighing and leaning back into Tobin. Neither of them want to move, both enjoying the contact. “We should go,” Christen says reluctantly, “They’re waiting for us.”

Tobin detaches herself from Christen, for some reason not bothering to try and hide her discontentment with the loss of closeness. 

It doesn’t go unnoticed by Christen.  
______

They arrive to the pottery place 30 minutes later. They were _supposed_ to have gotten there in 15 minutes, but as Tobin tries to explain to her teammates once they arrive, Christen forced them to make a stop back at the hotel so she could change clothes.

“I’m not going to paint things in clothing that I’m not okay with getting paint on,” she reasoned, trying to win the team over. Tobin just rolls her eyes, hoping everyone is buying her annoyed facade. They sit down in the last two open chairs, seated next to each other at the end of the long table.

Tobin leans over, her lips ghosting Christen’s ear, “Yeah well that’s funny because you didn’t find anything that you were okay with ruining did you?” 

Christen shoves her away, “Oh shut up.” 

_When they had gone back to the hotel, Tobin had sat on the bed and watched Christen rummage through her bag for five minutes, listening to the girl aggressively mutter about being stupid and not bringing anything she could wear. Tobin had found it mildly entertaining. If she were being completely honest with herself, Tobin always found a worked up Christen to be entertaining. _

_Of course, she eventually took pity on the woman, grabbing an old t-shirt from her own bag and throwing it Christen. “Just wear that,” she had offered._

_Christen had looked at the shirt now in her hands for a long moment, before looking back up at Tobin, then down at the shirt again, and then finally back up at Tobin where her eyes stayed as the smile brokes out across her face._

_“Are you sure?” she had asked cautiously._

_“Yep,” the brunette had answered, popping the ‘p’ at the end, “Let’s just get to this pottery place before Kelley sends out a search party. _

Christen blushes at the memory. She isn’t sure Tobin is able to understand, or is even noticing how much she’s loving being in Tobin’s clothes. The worn fabric _feels_ like Tobin… if that’s even possible. To Christen, anyone else’s old shirt would be nothing special, but there’s something about how she can practically picture Tobin wearing this shirt over the years that makes her feel like old fundraiser tee is irreplaceable. 

_And it smells like her_ Christen smiles to herself, bringing her shoulder to her nose and taking in the familiar scent. She looks over at Tobin, just observing the girl as she paints.

Tobin is picking out paint colors from the center of the table, biting her lip in concentration. Christen can’t help but find her furrowed brow to be cute. She watches Tobin as she returns to her seat, carrying about nine different paint tubes. 

“Tobin I’m all for artistic expression, but don’t you think that the number of colors you have is a bit overboard for a vase?” she inquires, quirking an eyebrow.

“Don’t mess with my creative vision Press, it’s going to be great.”

A lock of Tobin’s golden brown hair falls in her face, and before Christen can stop herself, she’s moving forward, her hand coming up to tuck the hair behind Tobin’s ear. Tobin’s eyes flick up to meet hers, and they hold eye contact for too long not to think anything of it.

Christen clears her throat, “Well… I guess I’ll just have to wait and see won’t I?”

“Yeah, yeah you will.”  
__

They’ve been painting their vases for 15 minutes when Christen looks over at Tobin’s vase, just to check on what she’s doing. She’s surprised, and a bit confused to see various shades of light pink and orange blended together on the top half of Tobin’s vase, with greens and a hint of yellow taking up the bottom quarter. There’s a strip of untouched area, and Christen has no clue what Tobin’s vision for this thing it.

“Tobin,” she starts, “might I ask what on earth you’re painting?”

The brunette doesn’t look up from where her paintbrush is, “Yeah you can ask but I’m not giving you an answer just yet.”

Christen pouts, “Come on Tobs, don’t go keeping secrets from me.” She hopes the nickname might have some sort of effect on the other woman.

Tobin smiles but doesn’t respond. Christen tries again, “How about this… I’ll tell you what I’m painting if you tell me what you’re painting.”

“Chris I already know what you’re painting. You’re entire vase is turquoise and your palette has a bunch of yellows and creams on it; you’re recreating that design from that dress you saw earlier today.”

Christen finds herself speechless. _Damn she’s observant. And honestly quite the artist too…_

“Yeah, you caught me.”

They both get dragged into the group’s conversation after that, listening to Alex and Allie argue over if water is wet. Tobin can’t hold back her laughter as she watches Kelley paint on the sleeve of Pinoe’s shirt, waiting for the blonde to notice. When Pinoe eventually feels Kelley press down a little too hard, Tobin expects her to get mad, or at least get revenge, but instead she just exclaims how much cooler the shirt is now.

Tobin turns her head to face Christen, listening in on the conversation the black haired woman is having with Ashlyn and Ali.

Little did she know that the conversation had been completely harmless up until that moment. Ashlyn and Pinoe had given up on waiting for things to unfold naturally. In Pinoe’s words, “There’s a pair of sneakers I’d like to get, and they’d be **that** much more precious if I got to used O’Hara’s money to buy them.” The two women had come up with a plan to push Tobin over the edge. 

As such, Ashlyn immediately notices when Tobin silently joins the conversation, turning her head to face the group. She kicks Pinoe under the table, wanting the blonde to be able to back her up. 

“So Christen…” she begins, “You never did elaborate in the locker room. Who WERE those marks from.”

Christen goes beet red. _Dammit, I thought they’d forgotten._ She’s trying to come up with an answer, well, more of a lie really, when she feels a familiar hand slip into hers beneath the table. _Tobin…_

“Oh, um those are from a while ago..” she tries. Tobin’s hand is hot, in hers, and she can feel the warmth spreading into her own body, the way it always does when Tobin touches her. 

Ashlyn gives her a look to show she calls bullshit, “We both know that isn’t the case Christen… Those looked fairly fresh.”

Christen knows it was a lame attempt, but there’s not really much to say about it, not much she _can_ say without mentioning that it’s the brunette sitting right next to her, gripping her hand, that put those marks on her skin. 

“I don’t know what to tell you guys honestly,” Christen chuckles, hoping no one can tell how nervous she is– well Tobin can, she always can, but Tobin doesn’t really count–, “It’s no one you know, and it’s not like anything will happen with them again.”

It’s a complete lie, but Christen decides what Ashlyn doesn’t know won’t hurt her. What she doesn’t realize is that those words are cutting right into the woman next to her. 

Tobin forces her eyes to not betray her, not letting them go wide as the words come out of Christen’s mouth. She can’t deny it; hearing Christen say things like that– it hurts, even if she knows Christen may be lying. It hurts because she knows whatever this is between them could end at any moment. The makeout sessions like the one in the changing room, the constant flirting, the comfort of falling asleep next to Christen– all of it could end without a trace, with no explanation. _ I mean seriously, we aren’t together, there’s really no guarentee or way to tell that Christen won’t just wake up tomorrow and pretend that nothing has ever happened._

Tobin knows it’s not true, but that’s the thing about doubts…. _They slowly eat away until they’re all you can think about_.

She grips Christen’s hand a little tighter, as if the dark haired woman is the only thing that can keep her from falling. It’s ridiculous– the amount of relief Tobin when she feels Christen squeeze her hand back, rubbing her thumb back and forth over the side of Tobin’s hand. It’s ridiculous how she can reassure Tobin just like that. 

Ashlyn exchanges a quick look with Pinoe, both acknowledging that this is their chance. The goalie speaks up, “Well then, I guess if you’re single… there is this guy I know that I think you’d get along with really well.”

Tobin’s reaction is so instinctive she’s already moving before she can think. Her grip on Christen’s hand tighten as she yanks her closer. Christen yelps in surprise and almost falls off her chair.

_What the hell?_. “Sorry,” she tries to recover quickly, but Tobin isn’t letting go of her hand, “I think the chair just moved a bit…” She wants to know what caused that action on Tobin’s part. But she knows if she looks now, it will be a dead giveaway, so instead she looks back at Ashlyn.

The goalie continues, “Yeah his name is Ryan and he’s a fitness trainer. He might start working with the NWSL… at least I think that’s what he said the last time we chatted. You were there, right Megan?” Ashlyn turns to Pinoe, hoping for the backup.

Knowing Ashlyn’s eyes are off her for a second, Christen’s eyes dart over to look at Tobin, who still has a death grip on her fingers. Tobin’s jaw is so tight Christen’s afraid her teeth might shatter. Her eyes are intently focused on the vase in front of her, but Christen knows better than to believe it’s the pot she’s looking at.  
“Yeah I think he said he’s trying to work for Sky Blue, I’m not sure. Still though. You should give it a shot Chris.”

Christen quickly focuses her attention back on the two other women, unsure of what to say. Then it hits her. The way Tobin immediately tensed up as soon as the prospect of her dating someone came up, how Tobin had territorially brought her closer just at the mention of it. _ She’s jealous._ The thought brings a pink color to Christen’s cheeks. _ Wait this could actually be the perfect way to get Tobin to stop playing around _

Christen does her best to look like she’s actually thinking about it before it comes out of her mouth, “Guys, I know neither of you are going to give up on this anytime soon, so I’m just gonna say I’ll think about it.”

She can feel Tobin tense up at the mild agreement. Ashlyn grins at her before returning to painting, “Perfect.”

Tobin’s hand eventually leaves Christen’s because she needs both to actually paint, but she quickly replaces it by scooting her chair until it touches the side of Christen’s, wrapping her leg around Christen’s. _She’s so jealous_ Christen smiles to herself, knowing that she couldn’t care about Ryan even if she tried. She’s already far too into the woman beside her.

______

They’ve been back in their hotel room for about fifteen minutes, and Christen is finishing up a Facetime call with her sisters. While she has, of course, missed Tyler and Channing, Christen had been anxious to end the call, wanting to be able to talk to Tobin instead. She says goodbye to her sisters, promising to call again soon, and shuts her laptop with a sigh.

Christen looks towards the balcony located at the back of their hotel room, knowing Tobin was sitting just beyond the sliding glass door. When they had gotten back from the pottery place, Tobin hadn’t said much to her; just grabbing her copy of Harry Potter and heading outside. She hadn’t really said anything since the conversation about Ryan. 

Christen sighs, knowing they should talk. She ducks into the bathroom for a second, just to fix her hair, before stepping outside to join Tobin.

Tobin sits in one of the two chairs, still in her joggers and t-shirt, _God how can someone look so freakin good in those pants_. Her jaw is still tight, and she’s reading her book in a way that Christen can only describe as aggressive. 

As Christen sits down in the other chair, it hits her just how strangely Tobin is acting. _ That’s her copy of Harry Potter, she loves that book with a passion… why is she treating it so roughly?_  
“Tobin, she tries. No response, so Christen says it again, trying to keep her voice soft, “Tobin?”

“What?” Tobin says sharply. Christen is taken aback by her pointedness.

“What’s wrong?”

Tobin doesn’t look up from her book, “Nothing.”

Christen opens her mouth to say something in return, but she knows that Tobin clearly doesn’t want to talk right now. Instead she chooses to stay silent, just keeping an eye on the brunette as she reads.

She has just about given up, until Tobin turns the page so violently it rips halfway.

“TOBIN!” Christen exclaims

“WHat!?”

Christen says nothing, waiting for Tobin to look up from her book. When she finally sees Tobin’s brown eyes looking back at her, Christen’s words get caught in her throat. _She looks so scared and vulnerable_. 

“Tobin what’s going on?”

Tobin says nothing, just looking at her with distressed eyes before turning back to her book. Christen is almost positive she knows why Tobin is being like this, and she’s tired of waiting for Tobin to say it.

“Tobin put the book down down before you rip it in half and talk to me.”

Tobin sighs, closing the book. She takes a deep breath before looking up at Christen, who has gotten up to stand in front of Tobin’s seat.

“I don’t want you to go out with Ryan,” she says quietly.

Christen has to hold back a smile; that’s _exactly_ what she wanted to hear, but Christen needs Tobin to say it explicitly. 

“Why” she says, her tone almost challenging. 

“Because…” Tobin trails off, not knowing how to say it without totally outing herself.

“Because..?” she coaxes.

_ Time to come clean Tobin, just tell her_. Tobin’s eyes snap up to meet hers, “Because Ryan isn’t me.”

Christen sharply inhales her heart rate picking up. “Tobin” she barely whispers.

“Christen,” Tobin says back, knowing if she lets Christen say anything first, she may never get the opportunity to say what she wants, “We keep doing this thing where we both know there’s _something_ here. And don’t even try to tell me that we’re just friends Chris, because yes we’ve both been saying that bulshit for weeks now, but we both know it isn’t true,” Tobin runs a hand through her hair before continuing, “And I don’t know how much longer I can take it. I want more from you Chris. I don’t just want to kiss you in the janitor’s closet.” 

Christen feels a pang in her heart, hearing the pain in Tobin’s voice. The brunette continues, “I _hate_ having to wake up and pretend that I haven’t been snuggling with you all night. I hate pretending that I feel nothing, that this means nothing, because it means everything to me and I–”

Christen’s heard enough, not being able to hold back her grin any longer, _ She wants you too, she actually does…_ “Tobin!”

Tobin’s getting anxious, knowing that there’s no going back from what she just said. “What?”

Once again, Christen waits for Tobin to look at her before speaking, her kind green eyes doing their best not to show Tobin how much she’s waited for this.

“Kiss me”  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops! sorry (not sorry) for the cliffhanger... I couldn't resist!


	15. Kiss Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin and Christen sort their shit out. *smut warning, in the words of Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect, "Avert your eyes, or take it all in... make your choice."  
_____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD I am SO sorry. HA it has literally been like two months since I last updated this thing. I have no excuses really. Enjoy this chapter, you might get another one soon but like don't count on it... I'm a mess. But just know I will not abandon this story, I will finish it, eventually. Thanks and enjoy.
> 
> Also happy Thanksgiving for those in the U.S.A  
_____

The words echo between them for what feels like an eternity. _”Kiss me.”_

Tobin can do nothing but stare at her, her eyes searching Christen’s for any hint that she doesn’t meant it; any hint she wants to take it back. 

She finds no such sign, only seeing confidence in the vibrant green eyes she’s come to adore so much. Confidence…. _And something else?_ Tobin can’t quite put her finger on what look Christen’s giving her. Christen’s staring at her as if she’s been waiting for this for an eternity, as if she’s still waiting. 

_Yeah, because she IS still waiting! Move you idiot!_

Tobin slowly stands up, afraid if she moves too fast everything around her might disappear. That Christen might disappear. She keeps eye contact with Christen as she closes the space between them, coming to a stop just inches from her. 

Christen’s heart is pounding, aching in anticipation as Tobin laces their fingers together with one hand, wrapping the other arm gently around her waist. Christen’s legs go weak. She can’t take it any longer, “Tobin, I swear if you don’t quit fucking around and kiss me I’m gonn–”

Tobin’s grip around her waist tightens as her head swoops in, cutting Christen off and connecting their lips. Both let out a sigh of contentment, and Christen melts into Tobin’s embrace, pulling her impossibly closer. 

After a moment that’s far too short for either of their likings, Tobin pulls back, smirking at how Christen whimpers at the loss of contact. 

“Be my girlfriend,” she whispers. It comes out as a command, but Christen knows it’s a question. She knows there’s only one answer she’s even considering responding with. Christen grins, her hands coming up to frame Tobin’s face.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Tobin beams at her in a way that’s just so _Tobin_, and before she knows it, they’re kissing again.

This kiss is different; unrushed, sweet and loving. Tobin’s lips feel softer than ever against hers. For once, Tobin’s hands stay put, not bothering to roam up and down Christen’s body, and while they’d both normally be complaining, kissing Tobin like _this_ feels perfect. _Everything about this feels perfect_. 

They stay like that, pressed against the balcony rail, kissing innocently until Tobin’s hand finds its way to her hip, backing her up against the glass door. Christen gasps at the contact and Tobin’s tongue slides into her open mouth. Christen’s response is instant, a moan escaping as her stomach begins coil. The way Tobin’s licking into her mouth is anything but innocent, and it’s winding Christen up faster than she thought was possible. One nip at her bottom lip all it takes to make Christen give in.

“Tobin,” she pants.

Tobin just hums in response.

“Tobin–take me inside.”

The brunette pulls back instantly, “Are you sure?” 

Christen nods, resting their foreheads together. “We’ve wasted enough time as it is. I’m not waiting any longer with you.”

Tobin’s attacking her lips the second she stops talking, lifting her up by her thighs to carry her back inside.  
____

They don’t make it to the bed before Tobin runs out of patience, choosing to press Christen up against the wall instead. Christen can’t help but smile into the kiss, starting to realize how much the brunette seems to like having her against walls. 

Tobin’s hands are still holding her up, her fingers digging into the soft skin of her thighs. Christen’s pretty sure normally it might hurt, but she’s too fixated on Tobin to care. Too fixated on the way Tobin’s tongue is sliding against hers, the way Tobin’s body is _deliciously_ pressing against hers. It’s both too much and not nearly enough. 

Christen feels Tobin’s arms start to tremble from holding her up for so long, and moves her legs a bit, signaling to Tobin that she can put her down. Tobin’s mouth never leave hers as her feet touch the ground. 

Tobin’s breath is hot against her lips, “Lift your arms up for me Chris...you’re wearing far too much clothing.”

Christen cocks an eyebrow at her, “Ordering me around already? I’m not sure that’s the best way to start a relati”– Tobin presses her thigh in between Christen’s legs, right where Christen’s beginning to want her most. Christen’s head falls back as she feels the heat travel down “Oh my god...fuck.”

“You like that?” Tobin’s smirks, her hips rocking forward.

Christen just whimpers, desperate for more, “Don’t stop.”

Tobin sees her chance and takes it, “Ordering me around already? I’m not sure that’s th–”

“Tobin!” 

In an instant she’s being picked up again, Tobin gently laying her on the bed, _their bed_ before climbing on top of her. Christen opens her legs and Tobin settles between them, using her elbows to keep her propped up as she gazes down at the sight below her.

Tobin feels like she’s dreaming. Beneath her is Christen Press, looking more breathtaking than ever; her dark hair spread out on her pillow, _their pillow_, her lips thoroughly kissed and swollen. She’s not sure how long she’s been staring when Christen’s soft voice drags her back.

“Tobin..”

“Hmm?”

Christen’s looking at her with the most gentle eyes, “Where’d you go just now?”

Tobin can only shake her head softly, unable to hide small smile playing across her lips, “Nowhere, I just…” Christen’s eye’s catch the light and Tobin’s heart surges. “... you’re just the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.” 

The words are out before Tobin’s had a chance to think, and her eyes widen with worry. _ Fuck what if I just scared her off… _

But Christen just beams adoringly at her. 

“And to think you were so mean to me for six years,” she says, playfully poking Tobin’s nose.

Tobin sighs, lowering her head to rest her forehead against Christen’s, “I don’t know how I’m ever going to make that up to you…”

Christen her head up to capture Tobin’s lips in a passionate kiss, her fingers trailing down to the hem of the brunette’s shirt, “I can think of one way…”

Tobin tries to hide just how much Christen is affecting her, “Oh yeah?”

Christen lifts the shirt over Tobin’s head, her eyes immediately darting back down to the tan skin now on display. She thought she was ready to see Tobin like this, she’d pictured Tobin shirtless countless times, hell she’d seen Tobin in locker rooms. _But this is different_.

Now, Tobin’s right above her, shirtless _for_ her, and it’s so much better than she could have imagined. Christen grabs her by the shoulders, flipping them until Tobin’s back hits the sheets with her on top.

Tobin lets out a squeak in surprise as Christen’s mouth latches onto her collarbone; sucking, licking, kissing– everything. Christen loses focus quickly, just wanting to be as close to Tobin as possible. 

She showers Tobin with affection, languidly kissing her mouth before peppering her face with little pecks, then switching to nuzzling into the crook of her neck and kissing whatever skin she finds there.

Christen kisses Tobin like it’s the end of the world. She kisses Tobin until she’s a panting mess, until they’re both breathless, until Tobin’s too turned on to stay still.

Christen doesn’t register Tobin’s moving them until they’re both sitting up, Christen in Tobin’s lap facing her. Her mouth instantly finds Christen’s neck, sucking when she finds her pulse point.

Christen’s mind flashes back to the last time she had Tobin’s mouth on her like this, the last time Tobin had marked her for the whole world to see. _But last time was different_, she thinks to herself , _ Last time she did it in the heat of the moment and the mark was sort of an accident_. 

Tobin appears to be thinking something similar as she pulls away, not wanting to push it by leaving a bruise. But it becomes clear–in the way Christen’s hand immediately pushes Tobin’s head back to that spot– that she _definitely_ wants Tobin to mark her now.

“Don’t stop Tobin,” she whispers weakly.

And _boy_ does that spur Tobin on. Her hands move down to Christen’s ass, pulling their hips flush together. Christen’s sure she’s never been this turned on in her life when Tobins hips instinctively buck up. 

“Yes Tobin– just like that,” Christen’s gasping at this point, “Suck harder.”

Tobin obliges, releases her skin with a pop, kissing the dark purple hickey one last time before pulling back to look at Christen. She wants more, so much more.

“Can I?” She asks, playing with the hem of Christen’s shirt. 

“Please,” Christen breathes out.

Tobin keeps eye contact with her as she throws she discarded shirt behind her, trying to convey just how much all of this means to her. When her eyes finally flicker down it’s like they’re glued to Christen’s chest, like there’s nowhere else to look. She’s wearing a simple black bralette, nothing fancy, but it might as well be lingerie the way it’s making Tobin’s mouth water.

Christen’s hands find hers, guiding them to her breasts. “Please Tobin just...” Tobin’s only one step behind, leaving open mouthed kisses along her collarbone, down her chest, mouthing at a nipple through the fabric of the bralette. 

Christen has her bra off and on the floor in seconds and finally Tobin’s mouth is on her for real. 

“You’re beautiful Chris,” Tobin whispers against her soft caramel skin, “You’re perfect.”

Christen wants to say something back, to tell Tobin how breathtaking she is too, but the second Tobin takes a nipple into her mouth and start sucking _hard_, she knows that’s going to be impossible.

“God Tobin,” Christen’s practically choking on her own words, “Please...more.”

Tobin hand comes up to pinch her other nipple, and Christen lets out a noise that’s just downright filthy, arching into the brunette’s touch.

“Tobin..” She doesn’t mean for her voice to show just how desperate she is. 

“Tell me what you want Christen…”

Tobin doesn’t make responding easy, choosing that moment to start flicking her tongue.

“Anything Tobin, anything. Just touch me please.”

In a split second Tobin has Christen’s shorts and underwear off her body and on the floor. She lays Christen back down on the bed before settling between her legs.

Tobin knows she’s really pushing it with the amount of teasing she’s doing; kissing up Christen’s legs, mouthing at Christen’s upper thigh, but she can’t help it. She’s waited too long for this to rush.

Christen practically sobs in relief when Tobin _finally_ licks through her folds.

“_Oh my god do that again._” Christen’s past her point of pride, shamelessly begging.

And who would Tobin be to no oblige? She takes her time, languidly licking up and down the girl’s heat, almost reaching her clit every time but being careful not to touch it. Tobin goes on like this for minutes, enjoying the desperate way Christen is trying to get her mouth where she wants her, but never giving in.

It’s only when Christen’s wetness is literally _running_ down her thigh that Tobin decides enough is enough. She wraps her lips around Christen’s clit and gently sucks. Christen’s back arches immediately; her senses going into overdrive.

“FUCK Tobin– fuck, right there.” Her hands weave themselves through Tobin’s brown locks, holding her head right against her. Christen can feel herself starting to fall apart already, unable to stop her hips from jerking as Tobin continues her onslaught.

Tobin’s tongue is relentless, flicking and swirling around her clit, licking up and down her folds. Her mouth has Christen seeing stars in a matter of minutes.

Christen is seconds away when she feels Tobin’s hand in hers, threading their fingers together, pleading with her to look down. Christen’s eyes focus down between her legs making eye contact with Tobin, and _fuck: there they are_, her brown eyes staring back at her with so much intensity and emotion. That’s it for Christen.

Her orgasm hits fast and hard, Tobin’s eyes never leaving hers. Christen feels like she’s died and gone to heaven as Tobin crawls back up her body to kiss her.

Christen moans weakly, tasting herself on Tobin’s tongue.

“Was that okay?” Tobin asks tentatively. Christen can’t help but scoff.

“Tobin,” she starts, kissing the brunette’s cheek a few times before continuing, “that was amazing.”

Tobin just grins goofily down at her, the grin quickly turning to mild pain as Christen smacks her arm.

“OW! What was that for?!”

Christen tries to keep a mildly annoyed face, a smile threatening to break through, “That’s for all the fucking teasing.”

Tobin winks at her, trying to settle down and get comfy. Christen clearly has other plans, as she flips them to get on top. Tobin lets out an involuntary moan as Christen thigh presses into her center.

Christen just smirks, “Your turn.”  
______

Watching Tobin doze off next to her, Christen can’t help but smile. She can’t remember the last time she felt so at peace or so happy. She’d like to blow it off and attribute it to the fact that she just got laid, but Christen knows it’s much deeper than that. 

_It’s just… her_, she thinks as she watches Tobin softly inhale. 

Tobin’s eyes flutter open, and Christen wonders if Tobin could somehow hear her thoughts. 

“Hey sleepyhead,” she cooes.

Tobin scrunches up her face, “Oh don’t be dramatic, I was out for two minutes tops.”

“More like five but okay Tobin.”

The brunette rolls her eyes playfully, “Whatever, it’s all your fault anyways. You tired me out.”

Christen just smiles at her, scooting closer to connect their lips. Tobin hums into the kiss, her arms looping around Christen’s waist.

They lay there for a while, just innocently making out, before Christen pulls away. She expects to see Tobin looking up at her lazily, maybe smiling. She expects to see Tobin’s lips a bit swollen. What she doesn’t expect to see is Tobin looking at her, horrified.

Christen’s stomach drops. Her mind is already running a mile-a-minute about what she could’ve possibly done. “What?” she asks, starting to panic.

Tobins mouth splits into a shit eating grin, “We just broke Jill’s no sex during the world cup rule.”

Christen sighs in relief “Oh my god.. I hate you.” She swats Tobin’s hand away, “You’re the worst.”

Tobin just peppers her face in kisses, trying to get back in the woman’s good graces, “I’m the best, don’t kid yourself Chris.”

“No, I seriously hate you.” Christen tries to wiggle out of Tobin’s grasp, wanting to prove her point. Tobin quickly ends her foolish escape attempt, moving on top of her, “No you don’t.” 

Christen giggles, giving in and pulling her in for another kiss. “You’re right, I don’t.”

“Well I suppose now that the rules have been broken... there’s no going back,” Tobin muses against her lips.

“Hmm,” Christen plays along, “I think you’re right.”

“You want to go for another round?” Tobin asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

Christen confidently reaches down in between Tobin’s legs, loving the way she can already feel Tobin getting wet again. “Obviously.”

_______


	16. "You're Glowing"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes I know it's been while.... like a WHILE. my bad. love you all

The light of dawn has only just begun to seep through the window curtains, yet Christen finds herself perfectly awake. _ Perfect_... that was the one and only word that cames to mind.

Laying next to a blissfully asleep Tobin was just perfect. Christen is aware that this is the second time in 12 hours that she’s watching Tobin sleep, and _maybe_ she thinks, _ maybe I should wake her_. She quickly dismisses the thought.

_ No, let her sleep while she can. She’s probably exhausted from last night_. Christen can’t hide her own smirk as she gets up to use the bathroom, padding across the carpeted floor quietly.

An audible gasp leaves her throat as soon as she flicks the bathroom light on. She knew Tobin had maybe gotten a bit carried away, but _this_, she was not prepared for. Hickies and marks covered her lower neck, collarbones, and breasts. There was no way she could tell her teammates a curling iron accident did all that.

_ I look like I was mauled by an animal..._

But Christen just shakes her head, smiling to herself. She would let Tobin do that to her every night if it made the brunette happy. _I’m just going to need to buy a lot of concealer… very soon_, she thinks as she exits the bathroom.

Upon re-entering the main room, Christen finds the blob under the blankets (Tobin) beginning to stir.

“Good morning,” she says softly, unsure if Tobin is fully awake. A messy head of brown hair pokes out from the top, and turns itself towards the source of noise, revealing a set of furrowed brows, squinting eyes, and pouty lips. Christen feels her heart melting at the sight.

“Chris?” Tobin’s question comes out as a confused rasp, her eyes only now beginning to actually open up.

“Yeah it’s me,” Christen says softly, taking another few steps towards the bed.

Tobin’s change in demeanor is instant, her eyebrows relaxing as an easy smile spreads over her face. Their eyes meet, and Christen didn’t think it was possible for Tobin’s brown eyes to get any kinder, but here she was, staring into eyes so soft she thought she might melt into a puddle.

“Come back to bed Chris, it’s too early for this.”

Christen only smiles and shakes her head, “Sorry Tobin, but once I’m up, I’m up. It’s how I maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.”

“A circa-what-now?”

“A circadian rhythm. You know, like sleeping a healthy amount, waking up at the same time everyday? Our biological clocks?”

“Nope, sorry never heard of it,” Tobin just shrugs, “I guess that means it can’t be too important right?”

Christen just rolls her eyes and tries to keep her smile to herself, “The fact that you’ve been a professional athlete this long and don’t know what that is… it’s baffling Tobs.”

Tobin hums in agreement, focusing less on their conversation, more focused on how exactly she was going to get Christen back in bed with her.

Tobin pulls the comforter back and gives the striker her best puppy dog eyes. “Come back to bed? Please? For me?”

Christen just squints at her for a moment, letting her know it wasn’t going to happen.

“Nope,” she deadpans, “Have you seen my yoga mat?” 

Tobin shrugs, “I don’t think so, not recently… Can you hand me my glasses? They’re on that table over there.”

Christen grabs the thick-rimmed glasses, holding them out for the brunette, but instead of grabbing them, Tobin’s hand wraps around the other girl’s wrist. Christen lets out a squeal as Tobin practically yanks her back into bed. She lands squarely on top of Tobin, and the brunette quickly has her muscular legs wrapped around her hips and lower back, locking her in place.

Their lips meet instantly, both sighing into the kiss for a moment before Christen reluctantly pulls back.

“I hate morning breath,” she says, playfully scrunching her nose up. Tobin just grins dopily at her.

The silence begins to set on Christen when over 10 seconds pass and Tobin hasn’t said a word.

“What?” Christen questions.

Tobin’s smile only gets bigger.

“It’s nothing,” she says looking down, “I’ve just wanted to kiss you good morning for a while now.”

Christen consciously has to keep her jaw from dropping, _This girl…._. She really has no words, only able to smile shyly back at Tobin. Once again, she finds them just staring at each other smiling. _Tobin really does have the softest eyes_.

“Nice hickies by the way.” Tobin’s eyes flick down.

Christen rolls her eyes. “Shut up.”

Tobin, never being one to pass up an opportunity to tease, is unable to resist the urge to press on. “I mean they’re truly a work of art.”

Christen rolls her eyes again, trying to untangle herself from Tobin who is _still_ talking. _ Maybe she’ll shut up if I ditch her for the bathroom..._

“I mean I just love the shades of red and purple, they really compliment the sha–”

Christen clamps her hand down on Tobin’s mouth, having heard more than enough from the wisecrack beneath her. Christen leans her head down, her lips ghosting the brunette’s ear, “Tobin, I’m going to remove my hand now, but I swear- if I hear one more stupid joke come out of your mouth you’ll regret it.

Christen should have known better than to believe Tobin would listen. The words are falling from the brunette’s mouth the second Christen’s fingers leave her lips:

“Do you think you could get me in contact with the artist? I’d like to commis–”

Christen’s lips descend onto hers, effectively silencing Tobin while knowing that this was what the brunette had wanted all along. The kiss quickly turns rough, Christen sucking hard on Tobin’s plump, full bottom lip before nipping at it. Their lips move together hurriedly, forcefully, yet still in sync, as if they had been doing this their whole lives.

A whimper escapes her mouth as Tobin’s hips buck up and into her, and Christen knows right then and there that she’s not leaving until Tobin’s body looks as ravished as hers does. Her hands find their way to the bottom of Tobin’s sleep shirt, pushing the fabric up until the brunette’s breasts are bare and visible. Christen licks her lips at the sight, before leaning down to kiss the space between them, her thumbs brushing over Tobin’s hardened nipples.

Tobin shudders, her hands moving to tangle themselves in Christen’s soft curls as Christen licks a nipple into her mouth. _This shouldn’t be possible,_ Tobin thinks. _She shouldn’t be able to work me up so fast_. It’s almost as if Christen can hear her thoughts because she looks right up at her, mouth still attached to her nipple, and winks seductively before kissing down her abdomen until reaching the apex of her thighs.

To say it gets to Tobin would be an understatement, but she tries to hide it, tries to play it cool.

“I thought you hated morning breath.” Tobin breathlessly teases, hoping she sounds more put together than she feels.

Christen’s eyes flick up to meet hers, before she moves up, catching Tobin’s lips in a bruising kiss. Her tongue immediately swipes into Tobin’s mouth drawing out a sound that could only be described as desperate. 

“Fuck morning breath.” Christen whispers against her lips before getting settled back in between her open legs.

She blows on Tobin’s core, grinning when Tobin moans softly, and leans in to slowly lick through her folds.

Tobin’s hips jerk into her mouth “Fuck! Jesus Chris! What about yoga?”

Christen rolls her eyes, her fingers pausing at Tobin’s entrance. She waits for Tobin to look at her before pushing in. 

“Fuck yoga.”

______

Multiple orgasms later, they make it down to team breakfast, walking through the dining room doors in sync. _Maybe a little too in sync…_ Christen thinks, not wanting to raise suspicion among her nosy teammates.

She moves away from Tobin, heading for the fruit and if Tobin notices her change in demeanor, she doesn’t say anything. 

With an omelette and a fruit bowl, Christen sits down next to Ali, making small talk as they eat. She’s about to get back up, realizing she forgot to grab coffee, when a steaming cup of it is gently placed down in front of her along with a bottle of water. She looks up surprised, to see Tobin plopping down on the other side of her.

“Thanks Tobin,” she offers, trying to show her sincerity without being too obvious. Tobin only smiles gently back at her.

The quiet, calm aura of the breakfast room is tossed out the window as Pinoe and Ashlyn waltz in.

“GOOD MORNINNNG BITCHES!” Ashlyn announces her presence, as if it wasn’t already obvious.

Without bothering to grab food, the pair finds seats across from Christen and Tobin, with Ash leaning over the table to give Ali a kiss on the head.

“How’s your morning been,” Christen asks politely.

Pinoe shrugs, “Eh it was fine. But I overslept because SOMEONE didn’t wake their roommate up.”

Ali rolls her eyes, “Pinoe it is not my job to be your personal alarm clock just because I was misfortunate enough to get you as my roomie.”

Pinoe gasps in fake shock, “Excuse me? Misfortune? You have the **pleasure** of being in my presence. Just ask your girlfriend, she’ll tell you.”

For someone who usually makes plenty of noise, Ashlyn is silent, eyes playfully wide, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire of this fake argument.

Ali’s eyes narrow, “Babe if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay silent.”

Pinoe just groans, “This is stupid, Ali I know you love me deep down, but because you’re being so very difficult, I’m going to be the bigger person and talk to my good friend Christen here.” She earns multiple eye rolls.

“So yes,” the blonde continues, “my morning has been quite something, thank you for asking Christen.”

Christen just chuckles, finishing her breakfast and standing up. “Well I’m gonna take these to the dish washing bin, you guys want me to take anything?”

Ali hands her plate over, “Pressy, you’re an angel, thank you so much.”

“Yeah seriously Press, you seem to be in a really good mood today,” Ashlyn adds with a sly grin, trying to ignore Pinoe poking her ribcage.

Christen scoffs kindly, trying to politely blow it off, but Pinoe won’t let her off the hook.

“No actually, like girl… you’re glowing.”

“Hmm,” Christen says, feeling a blush rising, trying to be nonchalant, trying to ignore the urge to look over at Tobin, “I think I just slept really well last night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Thanks for reading and STAY HOME PLEASE


	17. Make Us Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a medium length chapter for you. I still feel bad about ditching this story for so long so I ground something out quick. Enjoy!  
______

The morning finishes without a hitch. Well, except for the half hour it takes Christen to apply enough concealer on herself and a very squirmy Tobin.

“Tobin! Stop moving! We need to get these covered, we can’t wear sweatshirts to practice!” Christen says, exasperated.

Tobin does no such thing, raising her shoulders to hide her collarbones whenever Christen’s beauty blender so much as _grazes_ them. “I’m sorry Chris, it just really tickles.”

Christen just huffs and smiles, _I forgot how ticklish she is._

“Okay well do your best to stay still, and just be thankful I had some random concealer laying around that miraculously matches your skin tone.”

“Uh huh. Remind me, whose fault is it that I need concealer in the first place?”

Christen enthusiastically and loudly kisses Tobin’s cheek, “Mine!” and then refocuses on the task at hand, “Now stay fucking still or I’ll ensure you have to wear concealer every day for the rest of the tournament.”

Tobin has no snarky comeback for that.  
___

Practice isn’t as grueling as usual; they have their match against China tomorrow and the coaching staff is more than aware that overexerting the team now could mean disaster later. Nevertheless, the training session is intense; it _is_ the national team after all.

Jill has them doing ball work and dribbling drills for an hour before they move on to transitions.

“As you all will note later when we watch China’s recent replays, their transitions from offense to defense are quite sloppy frankly. Their keeper comes too far off her line and stays up a little too long, and that’s where we should be looking for an opening. I want O’Hara, Krieger, Johnston, Press, Rodriguez, and Lloyd working on giving and receiving long balls from the defense and shooting upon receiving. The rest of you head to the weight facility and work with Dawn.”

She receives a chorus of “Yes coach,” “On it”, and “Let’s go.”

Christen finds herself waiting in the drill line with Kelley. They only chat briefly, more focused on soccer than socializing, yet when they fall back in the back of the line for a second time, Kelley turns towards her.

“Alright Pressi, spill. What have you been up to lately.”

Christen’s face pales. _She can’t know, there’s just no way. Play it cool_

“W-what are you talking about Kel? Why are you looking at me like that… you’re scaring me...”

Kelley just laughs. “I mean I feel like I haven’t seen much of you lately. We’ve barely hung out since you and Tobin had your big fight and you crashed in my room,” she says, giving Christen an apologetic grin.

Christen sighs, _ she’s right, I kinda have been spending all my time with Tobin._

“You’re right Kelley, I’ve just been so wrapped up in trying to play well and honestly _Tobin_ wasn’t very much help at the beginning. But I feel stupid saying that I’ve been distant because I’m afraid to fail, because if anyone has supported me in the short time I’ve been here, it’s you.”

“Aww,” Kelley says, wiping away pretend tears, “Stop it Pressi you’re making me cry.”

Christen swats Kelley, “Oh my god... I don’t know why I even try with you.”  
___

In the late afternoon, after their official practice ends, the team files into a meeting room to watch China’s recent games in the World Cup. It’s something they do before any major game, just so they can scope out the competition and know what they’re walking into.

Christen finds herself seated between Tobin and Hope, Hope just by chance, and although Tobin tried her best to pretend that she didn’t care where she sat, Christen can’t help but laugh at what an unconvincing actor Tobin is. _Let’s just hope no one is really paying attention._

Tobin slaps her hand lightly, leaning in to whisper, “Keep laughing and my shitty pretend nonchalance won’t be what gives us away.” She grins when Christen sticks her tongue out in retaliation.

She knows it’s stupid to say, but she missed Christen in the _mere_ two hours they were separated. _It’s a little crazy how fast she worked her way into my day to day schedule to the point that I feel like I’m missing something when I’m not next to her…_

It is that thought, and that thought alone, that makes Tobin realize that in just a few weeks, she will likely not be seeing Christen everyday, or even every week. She’s not sure how she feels about that. _I guess that’s something we will eventually have to discuss…. Now that I think about we haven’t really talked at all about this._

A pit forms in Tobin’s stomach as she realizes that of all the conversations they need to have, there is one that needs to happen ASAP, and she would be lying if she said it wasn’t getting to her head. Before the footage starts, Tobin pulls out her phone and starts quickly but quietly–as to not disturb anyone–writing a text.

Christen tries her best to pay attention to the screen when Jill hits the play button, but the buzzing of her phone is too tempting of a distraction. Especially when she’s 90% sure that it’s a text from Tobin, judging by the fact that the brunette is not-so-subtly moving her thumbs and looking down every 2 seconds.

Christen discreetly opens her phone, and as expected, it’s from Tobin.

[Tobin Heath: 5:35PM]  
**Hey Chris. Don’t panic it’s nothing bad but can we talk after dinner?**

Christen’s brow furrows, but the text said not to panic so she tries to make herself relax as she types out a reply.

[Christen Press: 5:36PM]  
**Yeah sure**

She turns her phone off, incredibly curious as to what Tobin wants to talk about, but forces herself to pay attention. _ Winning this game is the most important thing right now_.

______

Dinner is only just starting to wrap up when Tobin announces she’s heading up to her room. Christen finds it a little abrupt, sensing the tense vibes coming off the woman next to her, but just decides to let her be. _ If something really is wrong, I’ll find out soon._

She waits five minutes for good measure before heading up too, wanting to give Tobin some time to collect her thoughts, and to make sure no one suspects anything.

Christen makes her presence known as she pushes the door open, and watches as Tobin stands up from the desk chair instantly. There’s an element of panic and nervousness in her voice when she says “Christen!”

Christen quirks an eyebrow, “Yes Tobin, it’s me, your roommate.”

Tobin nervously chuckles before falling silent. _ So much for playing it cool Tobin_

“So, what is it you wanted to talk about?”

“What?” Tobin’s head jerks up from where she was intently studying the carpet, “Oh! Right. I uh, just realized that even though you said you’d go out with me, um.. we haven’t really discussed anything surrounding our relationship yet.”

Christen is taken aback, not having expected this forward planning from Tobin, but is nevertheless pleased that Tobin seems to be taking the idea of them together seriously. “Okay,” she says, hoping her upbeat tone will provide some comfort to the nervous wreck that is currently Tobin, “What do you wanna talk about first?”

Tobin opens her mouth, but the words get stuck in her throat, “I uhh, umm.” She looks around the room, “C-can we talk about this somewhere else? Somewhere that’s not this tiny room?”

Christen gives Tobin her best comforting smile and takes her hand.

“Come on, I think I have just the place.”

___

And that’s how the pair finds themselves sitting at the edge of the indoor hotel pool. Tobin thanks her past self for opting for soccer shorts rather than joggers, knowing how uncomfortable it is to roll her pants up past her calves. Christen, however, finds she was not as prepared in her yoga pants, but sucks it up, knowing a little chlorine won’t render them ruined as she dangles her legs into the pool.

Once they’re both situated, Christen looks over at Tobin expectantly, but the brunette seems to be lost in her own little world. _Or maybe she’s just unsure of how to approach this… _

Christen, having always been naturally communicative, cuts the girl some slack, and prompts the conversation she knows Tobin wants to have. _One I want to have, one we need to have_.

“So,” she starts, “how do you want to do this?”

Tobin stares straight forward before looking down and clearing her throat, “I uhh– I’m not really sure how to start this.” She throws a glance at Christen and lets out a nervous breath, “I just… Wow.. this is harder than I thought it would be.”

“Hey,” Christen speaks softly, taking Tobin’s hand, and craning her head to catch Tobin’s eyes, “Tobs, it’s just me.”

Tobin nods at her but still can’t seem to say anything, so Christen intervenes again.

“Let’s take some deep breaths okay?” Tobin can only nod again at her.

“In…” she watches Tobin inhale slowly, “and out.” Tobin exhales. 

“Better?” she asks cautiously, a soft smile coming to her face when Tobin squeezes her hand and scoots over so that their bodies are flush next to each other.

“Yeah I’m okay. I’m sorry if I scared you Chris, I just really don’t want to mess this up. The last time I had this conversation with someone it didn’t go so hot.”

Confusion flashes across Christen’s face as she registers what was just said, “The last time?”  
Tobin turns her body to face her, “When I was playing in Paris, I met someone.”

Christen’s mind plays through all the names she associates with PSG before one sounds right. “Oh! Shirley right? I remember reading rumors in the tabloids that you might be dating.”

The brunette nods, “She’s the one. And it’s funny that you mention the paparazzi because that was what her and I were always getting into fights about. It’s why we broke up– she hated hiding our relationship from the media, but I refused to be public about it; I didn’t want to attract unwanted attention…”

“And that’s okay Tobin,” Christen can’t help but cut in, “Tobin that’s completely understandable. I know you hate the spotlight and honestly I could do without the cameras in my face and never-ending interviews too.” The realization hits her, and Christen can’t help but let out a chuckle, “Is that why you’re so nervous right now? Are you afraid I’ll leave you if you ask to keep this secret?”

She watches the brunette open her mouth, only to close it before slumping her shoulder a bit. “I didn’t think it was that irrational of a fear,” she mutters, pouting at how relaxed Christen looks when she feels anything but that.

“Tobs,” Christen says gently, “I already said yes to being your girlfriend. I’m not letting you go so easily.”

And that’s all it takes to coax out Tobin’s megawatt smile. “Say it again,” she whispers.

It takes a moment for Christen to catch on to what exactly ‘it’ is, but once she does, she’s mirroring Tobin’s bliss. “Yes Tobin, I’m your girlfriend. If you still want me that is…” she adds shyly.

Tobin rolls her eyes at the last bit. “Of course I still want you. What kind of question is that?”

“I don’t know! You were the one who started with the stupid questions and assumptions!” the striker playfully bites back.

The brunette’s eyes narrow with a glint of mischief, “You better take that back Press.”

Christen only leans in, “Make me.”

It doesn’t take her very long to realize that Tobin is not– in fact– leaning in to kiss her like she’d hoped she might, but instead registers a very firm hand on her back pushing her forward, and into the pool.

Her body hits the water’s surface with a splash, and the initial cold temperature takes her breath away. She comes up for air, only to hear Tobin’s _beautiful_ but momentarily _fucking annoying_ laughter echoing off the pool room walls.

“TOBIN!” Christen all but shrieks, still gasping for air “Do you have any idea how long it took to straighten my hair this morning?!”

The laughter dies down a bit, but Tobin is still giggling when she replies, “I’m sorry Chris, but you should have seen your face, it was priceless.” 

Christen rolls her eyes, swims back over to the edge of the pool, and grabs Tobin’s ankles, looking up to see the dread play across Tobin’s face.

“Christen….” she says nervously, knowing karma is about to hit her in the ass, “let’s be rational… I’m sorry about your hair.”

Christen only smirks at her “Yeah you’re going to be,” before yanking her in, the smirk only getting bigger as Tobin lets out a yelp.

Tobin surfaces and immediately latches onto Christen in the five feet of water. “Okay,” she sputters, pool water still trapped in her throat, “I deserved that.”

Christen just giggles and pecks her on the cheek, “Damn right you did.” Her hands find their way to Tobin’s butt, holding her up as the brunette wraps her legs around Christen’s waist. 

“AND,” Christen continues, “You are going to wash, blow dry, and straighten my hair before we go to bed.”

Tobin hums in agreement, wrapping her fingers around Christen’s wet, curly locks, “But your hair looks _so_ good like this… I love it curly.”

Christen blushes, “I’m glad you like it, but it’s just not practical for games. It gets in my face.”

Tobin opens her mouth to respond, but Christen’s ears pick up on movement in the hallway outside of the pool room, and she clamps her hand down on the brunette’s mouth before any sound comes out.

“Shh, I hear someone.”

She backs them up so they’re closer to the nearside wall of the pool, hoping it will conceal them from whoever is making their way down the hall towards the gym.

Through the glass, Christen spots Alex and Kelley through the glass windows. She notes their gym bags as they disappear around the corner _At least they aren’t coming in here._

Looking back at Tobin, she realizes to her amusement (and a bit to her horror) that her hand is still firmly pressed against Tobin’s lips, and Tobin’s eyes are looking at her questioningly.

“Oh my god Tobin! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to practically suffocate you,” she laughs out, removing her hand.

Tobin just laughs with her, brushing it off easily, “So I take it you **don’t** want to tell the team either?”

“Are you kidding me? Ashlyn and Kelley have enough reasons to annoy us as it is.”

Peck on the lips, “And,” Christen adds, tenderly pecking her _girlfriend_ on the lips, “I guess I just want you all to myself.”

Tobin smiles at her, doing her best to convey that she wholeheartedly agrees, before leaning in for a longer kiss. Their lips press against each other, neither of them moving, just enjoying the feeling of their lips touching.

Suddenly Tobin feels her body being dragged down so her nose skims the surface of the water. Across from her, Christen too, has her head half submerged as she ducks out of sight, her finger over her mouth, signaling Tobin to be quiet. 

The reason why is obvious within seconds. The sounds of their performance coach, Dawn, fill the pool room and hall, as the woman scolds Alex and Kelley, shooing them away from the weight room. _Dawn’s probably worried they’re not resting enough before the game,_ Christen figures,_ and speaking of which_...

“Hey Tobs, I think we need to head back up.”

Tobin just pouts adorably at her.

“Tobin no puppy eyes, it’s getting kind of late and you still need to restore my hair to it’s straight and sleek condition.”

The brunette just looks at her for a second, before she sighs playfully in defeat, and moves to get out of the pool.

They grab towels and do their best to sneak back up to their rooms without getting caught.

___

Two hours later, the two lay in Tobin’s bed, with only half of Christen’s hair straightened.

_ Upon making it back to the room, Tobin had picked Christen up bridal style and carried her into the hotel shower, claiming that it was only fair that she get to join Christen if she is expected to wash the woman’s hair._

_Christen had agreed, knowing fully well that Tobin was just trying to get in her pants (which she so expertly took off for Christen before she carried her into the shower, got on her knees, raised one of Christen’s legs over her shoulder, and flattened her tongue against her)_

_Tobin washed her hair _eventually_, and upon drying them both off, gets to work on Christen’s hair. Christen took pity on her when it had been over an hour, and Tobin was not even halfway done with straightening it. _Not to mention that she almost burnt off a whole lock_. She had grabbed the iron from the brunette, and tapped her butt, telling her to go to bed and that she should remember this the next time she wants to toss her in the pool._

_Tobin left the bathroom with a pout, but didn’t have to wait long before the bathroom light turned off and Christen emerged with a scowl, the bottom half of her hair straightened, but the top half, clearly still curly, but thrown up in a sloppy top knot._

_“I’m too fucking tired for this, I’ll just finish it in the morning.” Christen had complained, flopping onto the bed with Tobin. _

“Oh I see how it is, you send me out, and yet I’m still supposed to let you crawl into bed with me?” Tobin teases.

Christen smiles sheepishly at her, getting under the covers and scooting over to Tobin’s body, “I mean technically this is my bed. Yours has our luggage on it.”

Tobin feigns offense, turning away from Christen. 

“Nooo Tobin, turn back around…. I want cuddles,” Christen whines.

Tobin doesn’t budge.

“Tobin your **girlfriend**, who you dumped in the pool, is demanding that you turn the fuck around and give her attention.’

“Well… when you phrase it like that…” Tobin rolls to face her, opening her arms and pulling the girl in.

Christen just hums in contentment, throwing a leg over Tobin’s and nuzzling into her neck, “I knew you’d crack eventually.”

______

It’s funny how you can prepare for days, all to have it fall apart when the actual moment comes. That’s how Tobin feels as she makes _another_ run up the line to get a pass. It feels futile.

_ This is not how this game should be going._ Now in the second half, the score is still 0-0, and no one is happy about it. _We’ve had so many opportunities too…._ That is the most frustrating part. Their passes are connecting, they’ve had more than enough opportunities, yet none of them follow through. 

First, Amy got a well placed through ball from Carli, but messed up the chip over the goalie’s head and the ball goes wide. Next, a chip from Ali got fumbled, the keeper came off her line, and yet the team was still unable to finish. But perhaps the one that is causing Tobin the most anxiety is her corner kick. It was so well placed, finding the sweet spot on Julie’s head for a header, but it went too high, and the team retreated back to the midline with no celebration.

It is only in the 51st minute that the team is put on their misery. Just as Jill had them practice the previous day, Julie booted the ball from just past the halfway line to inside the box, catching the keeper high on her line and forcing her to backpedal.

Carli doesn’t give her the time to get in position, doesn’t even get a settling touch on the ball before heading it in the lower corner, putting them up 1-0. 

Screams erupt in the stadium and Tobin screams in triumph with them as she runs into the group hug. 1-0 is, by no means a reassuring lead, but it is still a lead, and right now she knows that’s all they can ask for.

10 minutes later, Christen comes in for Kelley, and Tobin can tell from the look on her face that she is determined to walk off this field with the score 2-0.

Honestly, Tobin thinks Christen was robbed. It was just so perfect, so close. Christen gets a pass back and immediately cuts the other direction to create space (her signature move), and fires a cannon towards the far upper post, knowing the keeper is far too close to the near post to save a well placed ball to the back.

It is so close, slipping past the goalie’s desperate fingers, only to hit the bottom of the cross bar, ricochet and hit the bottom goal line, and bounce away from the goal. Tobin doesn’t even register that Carli butchered the followup shot, too hung up on Christen’s beautiful _almost_ goal.

She sees the flash of defeat cross Christen’s face. Tobin knows the striker feels like she failed. _She’s never been able to still see the beauty of her play if it doesn’t go in._

Christen doesn’t get another chance. No one really does, and the score ends 1-0. Relief and joy wash over the entire team as they gather in a huddle, but they are all in consensus that this was not their best performance.

_ We’re going to need to get our act together if we want to make it to the final_, Tobin thinks to herself as Jill dismisses the team huddle. _ I hope Christen doesn’t feel too shitty about today..._

Upon making eye contact with her however, Tobin knows that Christen is, in fact, feeling very shitty about the game. Tears threaten to spill as she gives Tobin a quick, seemingly friendly hug, and Tobin doesn’t push it, knowing that being too caring right now might cause a meltdown on the edge of the field, and that’s something she knows Christen would prefer to avoid.

___

The ride back to the hotel is mellow, most people exhausted mentally or physically from the match, and in no time, Tobin and Christen are swiping their key card and entering their room.

Tobin quickly brushes her teeth and gets in a sleep T shirt, having showered at the stadium, and waits for Christen to get out of the shower, knowing the striker had just sat on the locker room bench and stared into open space as the rest of the team got ready to go.

10 minutes later, Christen emerges looking fresh and clean, but emotionally exhausted. She beelines for the bed, trying to get under the covers and go to sleep, but Tobin isn’t having it.

“Unh unh Chris, do not try to fall asleep on me,” she says, blocking the woman from entering the bed.

Christen just stares at her. Tobin opens her arms and legs for Christen to sit inside and looks softly at her, “Come here Chris.”

Christen doesn’t move. She closes her eyes and sighs, “Tobin... I’m sorry but I’m really not in the mo–”

“Just do it Chris?” Tobin interrupts her, “If not for yourself, then for me?”

Christen just sighs again, before nodding weakly and crawling up the bed. She settles between Tobin’s legs, and leans back so her back and Tobin’s front are molded into one another, letting out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding when Tobin wraps her arms around her waist and sets her chin on her shoulder.

“I know you’re upset about today…” Tobin starts cautiously.

“Yeah no shit,” Christen snaps back.

“Hey,” Tobin replies warningly.

“Sorry,” Christen says, voice so quiet it’s almost a whisper, “I just feel like I’m not good enough to be on this team sometimes. It’s my _job_ to score, and I couldn’t do that today…”

Tobin finds Christen’s hand and clasps it tightly, “First of all, Chris, you’re an amazing footballer. You’re fast, good with your back to the goal, and your ball placement is impeccable. That shot was just unlucky. You know that one bad game doesn’t define you right? And on top of that, you shouldn’t even be classifying today as a bad game.”

“I know.” 

“You know to which part? The part about what defines you or today?”

Tobin doesn’t get a response.

“Chris?”

The choked sob that comes out lets Tobin know that it’s time to stop pushing and to just shut up and comfort the woman in her arms. And that’s what she does. She holds Christen tighter, rubbing her hand as the tears thankfully begin to taper off, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. 

She holds her until she’s sure Christen has fallen asleep, then moving both her and herself under the covers and into sleeping positions.

Just when Tobin thinks she successfully got them to bed without waking her, Christen speaks softly.

“Thank you Tobin.”

“Don’t thank me, you’re pretty easy to move.”

“No, not that. Thank you for making me talk.”

Tobin kisses the back of her neck, “You also don’t need to thank me for that. I want to be here for you in every way that I can. What we have isn’t just sex and banter, you mean much more than that to me.”

Christen doesn’t respond, and she doesn’t need to, only scooting back to press further into Tobin, before letting the brunette’s calm breathing lull her to sleep.  
______


	18. Preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobin takes care of Christen's mind, humors Kelley's nonstop nonsense, answers Allie's burning questions, and then takes care of Christen in... other ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao I'm back... Another chapter should be out shortly, but in the mean time... enjoy! *Smut warning*

Walking into her second World Cup, Tobin had known what to expect. She knows to expect to feel as if time is bending and stretching as the tournament progresses. She knows that games are typically 4-5 days apart, regardless of how far into the tournament one gets. 

In the beginning, it feels like days are minutes, with the group stage games flying by, her team high on a win and hungry for the next. The group stage feels like a race, the momentum doesn’t stop until the three games are over, and hopefully won.

Then the time starts to slow down through the round of 16 and the quarter finals. Tobin had noticed the energy shift immediately. The realization that one bad game meant they got sent home set in, and it had no longer felt like a race. They had taken their games against Colombia and China one by one, feeling the weight of each match before and after. In between these games was the time where the most memories were made, Tobin realizes. It was then that her and Christen had bonded the most, talked the most. But approaching the semifinals, Tobin knows from experience, that time is going to start speeding up again. 

The anticipation, the fear, the _need_ to win starts to creep up on everyone as they get closer and closer to the prospect of holding that trophy. Tobin feels it building up in herself, and embraces it: You don’t ever make it to playing at this level if you don’t feel it, if you don’t want it _this_ bad.

Everyone else feels it too, Tobin can tell. Every one of her teammates busts their asses off the next two days, barely taking anytime to recover the day following China’s game. She doesn’t think she’s ever seen this team so quiet at practice, everyone being so absorbed in their own heads, focused on polishing technique and improving.

_It’s because of our form against China_ Tobin reminds herself, _ We can’t afford to come out like that again… Germany will wipe the floor with our asses_.

Tobin almost thinks that this was bound to happen. As cocky as it sounds, she’s been thinking more about the final than any of the other games. She’s always had the feeling that if they make it to the final, they’ll be facing Japan. It doesn’t matter that they already beat them in the olympics last year, Tobin personally needs this. She’s been thinking about it for months, obsessing over it, playing out all the possible outcomes, revisiting the nightmare of the possibility that it could come to penalties again.

The idea of penalties against Japan makes her want to throw up.

Tobin thinks she would rather die than let anyone in about it. Everyone sees her as the embodiment of chill, fans and teammates alike, and honestly she’d rather keep it that way. _ No one wants to watch a player who feels like curling up into a ball at the thought of penalties again. No one pays to watch a player suffer from a crippling anxiety attack_.

Speaking of crippling anxiety, Tobin notes Christen doesn’t seem to be doing much better than her. She’s been staying at the field after the end of practices, after the rest of the team has packed up and gone back to the hotels, taking her 100 shots on both legs, sometimes more. Tobin waits for her both days, sitting on the grass and watching her girlfriend work through her insecurities. 

She knows better than to interfere, or even play goalie for Christen; Christen’s body language makes it clear that she needs space, yet also wants the reassurance of Tobin’s presence. The Reassurance that if she were to need her, Tobin would be right there.

So yes, Tobin is more than happy to just sit there for her, _ What better way to spend the late afternoon than watch Christen’s powerful thighs in action…_ but she can’t help but feel like she might need to push Christen a bit, can’t help but feel that challenging her a bit might be better for the long run.

The thing is they’re leaving soon, tomorrow in fact, to make the drive to Montréal. She knows Christen, she knows how Christen is. Tobin knows Christen likes closure, likes it when things come full circle. Tobin doesn’t want Christen to leave Ottawa like this.

The brunette is startled out of her thoughts by Christen’s voice, telling her she’s done and that they can head back. Christen is covered in sweat, partially due to the summer heat, but likely mostly due to the level of exertion she just put herself through. They make eye contact once Tobin gets to her feet and grabs her bag, and Tobin can’t help but feel her heart ache a little.

_She looks just as upset as she did right after she missed_... It’s now or never, Tobin knows, and she’s not completely aware of what her plan is until it starts coming out of her mouth.

“Will you do me a favor Christen?” she asks cautiously.

“Sure,” Christen says absent mindedly, rummaging around her gearbag for her phone, “Can it wait until we get back to the hotel?”

“Actually, no... it can’t.”

Christen gives her a skeptical look.

Tobin sighs and holds out her hand, “Will you follow me? I want to take you somewhere.”

Christen sighs, clearly too emotionally drained from being in her head all day to put up much of a fight, but also not being in the mood to do anything but collapse on her hotel bed. 

“Tobin… Look at me, I’m covered in sweat, and I just want to go back and take a shower, I’m–”

“Please,” the brunette interrupts her, keeping her hand extended, “I promise you’ll feel better.”

Christen looks at her like she’s a bit crazy, but places her hand in Tobin’s. Tobin steps into her space, giving her a soft kiss on both cheeks– a reassurance of sorts– before sliding Christen’s bag off her shoulder and placing it on her own, ignoring Christen’s protests of “Tobin you don’t need to,” and “I can carry my own bag.”

She leads them off the field and down the street for multiple blocks, towards the inner city. Tobin tries her best to make it look like she knows where she’s going, but she doesn’t think she’s doing a good job of that. _ I’ll know it when I see it_. 

It doesn’t take long for Christen to catch on to the fact that Tobin is, in fact, leading them through the streets of Ottawa with no clear end goal in mind. She isn’t pleased in the slightest.

“Tobin,” it comes out as a whine, which only puts Christen in a more sour mood, not wanting to sound like an ungrateful child. 

The brunette senses that while Christen is giving her the benefit of the doubt, that benefit is reaching its end. She spins around to face Christen, setting down their bags so she can hold both of Christen’s hands.

“Baby,” Tobin lets the pet name slip out, and if Christen hadn’t been in a mood, she probably would have swooned, “Can you just trust me for like 2 more minutes?”

Christen nods weakly, looking down at her feet, not catching the way Tobin beams at her.

“Thank you Chris, I know you’re tired.”

Just as luck would have it, Tobin finds what she’s been looking for. She pulls Christen off the sidewalk and into a park on a hill, with a view of the skyline. Ottawa looks different than Edmonton for many reasons, Tobin acknowledges, but this is as close as she thinks she is going to get.

She finds a nice spot, setting both their gear bags down before she sits down, using the gear as a backrest. She guides Christen to sit between her legs so they can both look out towards the city.

Christen had caught on as soon as she saw the grassy hill, but this position confirmed her suspicions. _She’s recreating what I did for her five days ago._ The gesture brings a small smile to Christen’s face.

“Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing here Heath,” Christen mumbles, getting comfortable in Tobin’s embrace.

Tobin laces their fingers together, “Mmm, is it working?”

Christen brings their joined hands to her lips and gives Tobin’s knuckles a kiss, “Yes.”

“I remember how much sitting in a place like this with you helped me. I know that last game hurt your confidence, and I know you’re in your head about it. I didn’t want you to leave this city feeling like you are right now.”

Christen opens her mouth to speak, to say something, _anything_. She wants to tell Tobin how grateful she is for her, how much she appreciates her, but nothing comes out.

Tobin continues, “I don’t know what’s going on in your head that has you so down, I don’t know your history with soccer except for where our stories intersect, but whatever it is, you need to know that you are a phenomenal soccer player. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t, and one missed goal does not change the fact that you deserve your spot on the team. You _deserve_ it Chris. You deserve it more than anyone.”

Christen stays silent for a couple moments after Tobin finishes speaking, letting the words sink in before replying.

“I’ve always struggled with failure.” She simply offers.

The brunette makes no move to speak.

“It’s just that winning and scoring were very much in my eyes, my measurement of self worth while growing up,” Christen says, “If I won, I was a winner, if I lost I was a loser. If I didn’t score, I wasn’t good enough even if we won. If we didn’t win, I felt like I was letting down everyone.”  
Christen pauses to collect her thoughts, and Tobin gives her a reassuring squeeze.

“I cried almost every game that I played in while I was at Stanford. I felt so much stress about scoring and _winning_. God, I was obsessed with winning. It was unhealthy.”

“I’m sure losing that final wasn’t very easy on you,” Tobin mutters quietly, trying to lighten the mood but also being serious.

Christen scoffs playfully, “Yeah. Yeah it was horrible, and you and Kelley’s incident didn’t help at all. I think I threw up three times that day because of how nervous and then disappointed I was. Once right before the game, once right after, and then again that night.”

“I’m so sorry Christen.”

Christen squeezes her hand, “It wasn’t your fault Tobs, most of it was me in my head. I couldn’t handle the pressure. I think going to Sweden after the league folded was what saved me. No one knew who I was over there. The pressure was gone and I learned to love soccer again.”

“Yeah,” Tobin cuts in, resting her chin on Christen’s shoulder, “I remember you looking happier when we played against each other in Europe than in college.”

“Oh? I didn’t know you were paying attention to me Ms. Heath.”

“I’ve always looked at you,” Tobin kisses her shoulder, “even if you were a bitch, you were still hot as hell.”

Christen gasps and swats her hand, “You pig!” Tobin just laughs.

“So, Sweden taught you that there’s more to soccer than winning.”

“Yeah,” Christen says, “I grew so much as a person over there, but sometimes I still revert back to old habits. Old mindsets.”

“Ah. That’s what’s going on right now isn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

A silence settles over them, but it isn’t awkward, it isn’t uncomfortable. Christen welcomes it as she stares out at the view, feeling Tobin’s fingers trace over her hand and lower arm.

She feels warm, warm and safe. God she feels so safe with Tobin sitting behind her, engulfing her. It’s not even because Tobin’s arms are muscular, Christen thinks it’s something more. Something more than physical safety. She just feels safe, her mind feels safe with Tobin.  
Tobin breaks her out of her trance, “What’s this?”

Christen looks down to where Tobin’s hands currently are, and finds them wrapped around her wrist, her thumb pointing at a small, white scar just two inches above her palm on her wrist. 

“Oh,” she chuckles, “That’s from when I was 15. Nima and I thought it would be funny to–” 

“Wait who’s Nima?” Tobin interrupts.

“He’s my best friend,” Christen explains, “I grew up with him, we went to school together. Him and I are still very close.”

“Ah I see.”

“Anyways, when we were 15, Nima came back from a trip to Tijuana with some firecrackers he bought illegally. You know despite what most people think, fireworks and crackers are also illegal in most of Mexico, it’s just easier to get them…”

Tobin chuckles as Christen goes off a tangent about perceptions of Mexico, _It’s just such a Christen thing to do…_

Eventually Christen reorients herself, “But yeah he brought the firecrackser over to my house and we thought it would be really funny to put them inside a vase and light them on fire.

“Hold up little-miss-I-graduated-from-Stanford,” Tobin laughs, “How could you have possibly thought that would be a good idea?!”

Christen can’t help but giggle, “I don’t even know! But we did it… and as you can probably guess….”

“The vase exploded on you,” Tobin states.

“The vase exploded on me,” Christen confirms, “And one of the shards flew into my wrists. It must have hit a vein because oh my god Tobin, it would NOT stop bleeding! Nima had to get my dad. I’ve never seen him so scared, or my dad so angry.”

“He sounds like quite the man” Tobin muses.

Unsure if Tobin is commenting on her dad or best friend, but then realizing it doesn’t really matter, Christen replies with, “Yeah, he is.”

“Tell me about him?” Tobin softly requests.

“My dad or Nima?”

“I don’t care, both. You haven’t had a chance to tell me about your family. I want to know everything about you Chris.”

Christen can only beam, aware that with the way they’re sitting, Tobin can’t actually see her face, but she hopes Tobin can feel it.

“Well,” Christen says dramatically, “If you insist, I think I should start out with this one time my dad….”  
___

They stay sitting there together for another hour. Christen recounts some of her best childhood memories, and some of her worst. Tobin soaks it all in, grateful that Christen is willing to share pieces of herself.

When they eventually gather their things and get up, their butts are wet with water from the grass, but neither can find it in themselves to care. They start their walk back once Christen checks her phone and realizes that Tobin somehow managed to get them “lost” in an area that’s closer to their hotel than the field.

Tobin notices the pep in Christen’s step as they make their way back to the street from the park. She knows it wasn’t there before, it hasn’t been there for days, and she can’t help but smile. _Happy Christen is the best Christen_.

Her footsteps start to subconsciously get smaller, her legs moving slower, until Christen is walking ahead of her to the point that she turns around to find Tobin. A breeze picks up, blowing her hair every which way, and Tobin realizes. _Ah_. The sense of deja vu is too strong to ignore. 

_It’s almost like a sign from God_ she thinks, knowing that the last time this happened she had vowed to confess her feelings. _A sign that this is exactly where I’m supposed to be._

“Tobin?” Christen’s voice cuts through her, “Is everything okay?”

She doesn’t get a response as Tobin strides up to her. Suddenly, she’s in Tobin’s arms, and Tobin’s crashing their lips together. 

She kisses Christen hard, but keeps her tongue to herself. Tobin kisses her like she means it, like Christen is the only person she would ever want to kiss. 

Christen’s arms find their way to the nape of her neck, and as soon as Tobin tries to separate for air, she pulls her right back in. 

When they inevitably do separate (they are in public afterall) Christen’s arms keep her close, keeping their foreheads resting together as they breathe. 

“Thank you Tobin.” she says softly, “I really needed that.”

Tobin leans back in for a peck, “Anything for you.”  
______

The drive to Montréal is loud, something Tobin finds unbelievable seeing how quiet the team was the past two days. However, she quickly realizes that the bus being loud really just means that one Kelley O’Hara is making her presence known while the majority of the team tries to be as quiet as possible in hope they won’t get dragged into her shenanigans. 

Popping out her earbuds and turning around, Tobin sees that currently, Morgan and Kling seem to be Kelley’s victims, though she also knows that Kling is probably enjoying it more than she lets on.

“I’m just saying, I don’t think Jill is pronouncing Montréal right!” Kelley exclaims.

“Kel, I think you say it just like it’s spelled,” Morgan replies, scrolling through her phone.

“THAT’S THE THING. Montréal is a french word, and I think I can speak for all of us when I say that nothing in french is pronounced how it should be.”

“She has a point,” Kling offers, “I tried taking french in high school, but as soon as I learned that their word for ninety is 4 times 20 plus 10, I dropped the class. That language is wack.”

“All I’m saying is I don’t think you pronounce it ‘mon-tree-all.’ That doesn’t sound fancy enough to be french.”

As soon as Kelley looks up the aisle and makes eye contact with her, Tobin knows she’s about to get dragged in. 

“Tobito! You literally played for PSG! You speak french, how do you say it?”

_Might as well give the woman what she wants_ Tobin reasons. She says it to Kelley with her best french accent, and misses the way Christen’s head snaps up at the sound of her speaking french, misses the way Christen looks at her like she’s the hottest human on the planet.

“Ah HA!” Kelley exclaims, “I knew Jill had it wrong!”

“Sounds the exact same to me,” Morgan says, still not looking up from her phone.”

“Nuh uh! Jill said ‘mun-tree-all’, Tobin says it more like ‘mont-ray-al.’”

“Wait no,” Kling interjects, “It’s like even more than that it’s like ‘maun-tray-al-LUH’”

“You’re right! MAUNTRAYALUH!”

“You can’t forget the ‘LUH’ at the end, I swear it makes it sound more french!”

_ God help them_ Tobin laughs to herself, before putting her earbuds back in, _time for some peace and quiet_.

It doesn’t last for long.

“Alex you need to move seats with me for a couple of minutes, I need to talk to Tobin.” 

Tobin yanks her earbuds out again, at hearing her name. She looks up to see Allie hovering over their row of seats expectantly, and turns to see Alex scowling at her.

“No way Allie, you know how important it is that we don’t mess with bus buddies, I–”

“Oh my god Lex I don’t care about your superstition, I love you but you’re crazy.”

Alex scoffs, “Absolutely not, I’m not getting up.”

Allie gives Alex her best puppy dog eyes and clasps her hands together in a prayer. “Pleeeeeeaaaseeeee? I wanna talk to Harry for a sec!”

Tobin suddenly finds herself praying Alex keeps her resolve, knowing how nosy Allie could be when she wants to, and realizing just how many secrets she now has. _ Secrets having to do with a certain green eyed woman sitting just feet away_...

To Tobin’s newfound horror, Alex rolls her eyes and grabs her backpack. “Fine,” she pouts, “but if we lose today it’s your fault and I’ll kill you.”

“Uh huh, yeah okay.” Allie seems unfazed as she scoots in and takes Alex’s place. Her butt barely hits the seat before she’s turning to face Tobin with a devilish grin.

“Alright Harry, we need to talk.”

“Talk about what?” Tobin sputters out. _She can’t know, there’s no way she can know….okay well actually she might know but you can just deny it._

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Allie whispers, as to not attract attention, “Christen has practically been eye-fucking you this entire bus ride, and you can’t stop looking back at–”

Tobin’s hand clamps down on her friend’s mouth before any more incriminating words leave her lips.

“Keep your voice down Harry!” Tobin hisses, ”We are not having this conversation here…”

She retracts her hand at lighting speed when she feels something wet– that is unmistakably Allie’s tongue– licking at her hand.

“Ew Harry!” Tobin gives Allie a disapproving look as the blonde grins, “You have no shame.”

“Not an ounce Har,” Allie replies, pulling out her phone. Tobin finds herself confused at Allie’s sudden disinterest, until her phone dings and vibrates in her hand. _ You’ve got to be kidding _

She opens her lockscreen, and finds a text from none other than Allie Long.

[Alllie Long: 10:03]  
** We’re switching tactics… :)**

[Alllie Long: 10:03]  
**Harry it’s time to spill!!**

[Tobin Heath: 10:03]  
** spill what**

[Alllie Long: 10:04]  
** U**

[Alllie Long: 10:04]  
** and Christen**

[Alllie Long: 10:04]  
** What is up with u guys???**

[Tobin Heath: 10:04]  
** I don’t know what you’re talking about**

[Tobin Heath: 10:04]  
** I already told you that we made up and now everything is fine**

[Tobin Heath: 10:05]  
**We’re friends...**

[Allie Long: 10:05]  
** Uh huh...**

[Allie Long: 10:05]  
** I don’t buy it. You kissed her and you never told me what she said to that!!!**

Tobin looks up from her phone to find Allie squinting at her. She knows she’s trapped, she knows Allie isn’t leaving until she gives Allie _something_.

She sighs, and starts typing.

[Tobin Heath: 10:07]  
** Okay Harry...but I need you to keep your mouth shut**

She catches Allie’s victorious grin

[Allie Long: 10:07]  
** Ofc! Ofc!**

The brunette still isn’t sure how much she wants to reveal, knowing she promised Christen they’d keep it just between them but also knowing this is the only way to get Allie out of her hair. Tobin decides to keep it simple and truthful

[Tobin Heath: 10:07]  
**I don’t really want to tell you much just yet, but she’s a really good kisser…. **

Tobin hears the gasp escape her friend’s mouth, followed by aggressive thumbs tapping a phone.

[Allie Long: 10:08]  
** NO WAY**

[Allie Long: 10:08]  
** HARRY U DOG!!**

[Tobin Heath: 10:08]  
** That’s all you get for now. Please don’t tell anyone...**

She feels a hand on her shoulder and instantly knows she’s been saved. 

“Allie it’s been long enough I can’t take it anymore! I refuse to risk a loss of this calibur on some juicy gossip, now get out of my seat!” Alex whines.

Allie gets up quickly, satisfied with what she managed to extract from her friend, and also afraid of what would happen if she tried to stay and fight back.

Tobin lets out another sigh of relief. _Well at least that’s over._

Then she catches Christen glancing at her, and realizes just how obvious they’ve been. Tobin grins back at her. _ I take it back… I have a feeling it’s far from over_  
______

Two hours later, the team arrives at their new hotel, quickly getting their rooms assigned and keeping the same roommates together for convenience sake, though Tobin thinks it’s turned out to be more than just convenient for her and Christen.

Practice today is light, with the day being used mostly to watch films of Germany’s most recent games and listen to Jill give a couple lectures about modified formations and specific strategy. Each player is given a chance to meet one on one with medical and health faculty for any issues that might have arisen in the past couple days. Christen finds herself appreciating the checkup more than she had anticipated. 

After getting her sore back checked out, Christen wanders back into the meeting room the team has been cramped in for the better half of the afternoon. After a quick inner debate, she sits between Amy and Julie. Christen tell herself that its just to switch things up, but deep down it’s because she _knows_ that Tobin is looking at her–she can feel her gaze burning into the side of her head– and Christen would be lying if she said she didn’t want to watch the woman squirm a bit.

Christen regrets her decision two minutes into the meeting. She wants Tobin next to her. Jill has the starting lineup for tomorrow up on the projector, reviewing strategy, and while Christen knew it was a longshot to hope to be a starter, the disappointment doesn’t hurt any less.

She wants Tobin next to her, holding her hand or stroking her leg as she tells herself that her performance against China didn’t influence Jill’s decision. She wants Tobin.

Christen steals a glance in the brunette’s direction, and finds a tiny bit of peace in how Tobin looks right back at her, like she also wants to be sitting next to Christen, reassuring her.

___

By the time dinner finishes, and the team is dismissed to go back to their rooms and rest, both women are more than ready to be done with the day. Christen gets settled in bed while Tobin showers, and she can’t help but let her mind wander.

Tobin’s been in her thoughts almost all day. Tobin speaking french on the bus, Tobin’s calves flexing during ball work, Tobin biting her lip in concentration during strategy recap. Tobin _looking_ at her all through the lineup reveal.

She wants her. Badly. She’s wanted her since Tobin winked at her lunch. The voice of reason–telling Christen that the night before a game is not the time for this– is only barely audible, but getting louder the more Christen thinks about it.

She practically throws the voice of reason out the window the second Tobin steps into the room, with her towel clinging to her body, water droplets running down her sculpted physique. 

Christen licks her lips at the sight, Tobin looks absolutely delectable.

She watches her move towards her suitcase, holding her towel up as she rummages around for a sleep shirt and shorts. Christen frowns at the thought of clothes on Tobin, and finds herself throwing the blanket back and getting out of bed to prevent Tobin from ruining the view. _Her view_.

Christen’s arms wrap around the brunette’s waist from behind, her hands grabbing ahold of the towel

“And what do you think you’re doing?” Christen whispers sweetly.

Tobin catches on immediately, but plays along, “I think the real question, is what do you think _you_ are doing?”

Christen hums as if she’s in thought while she bunches up the towel, tugging and trying to get Tobin to let go.

Tobin relents, surrendering the towell and spinning around to face Christen. She watches with a smirk as Christen’s eyes flick down, shamelessly staring. Tobin clears her throat.

Christen’s green eyes dart back up. “Hi,” she offers simply, staring dumbly at Tobin.

“Hi,” Tobin parrots back, a smile already beginning to play on her lips.

Christen discards the towel she’s still gripping and brings her hands up to frame Tobin’s face, leaning in slowly to capture her lips.

The kiss is soft– much softer than Christen initially intended it to be upon leaving her bed– but it somehow fits the mood better than anything Christen had conjured up in her mind. Their lips move slowly, Tobin’s tongue coaxing Christen’s into her mouth. Christen never knew a kiss so slow could be so hot, and they break away slightly panting.

“I missed you,” Tobin murmurs into her ear, hand coming up to caress Christen’s face.

Christen nuzzles into her touch and looks up at her, “I’ve been with you all day.”

“You know what I mean,” Tobin whispers back, dipping in for another kiss. Christen more than willingly parts her lips. Her hands take purchase on Tobin’s slim hips as she attempts to walk them backwards towards the bed.

Tobin pulls back as soon as she realizes Christen’s intentions. “Nuh unh, Chris.”

Christen looks back at her in confusion. Tobin’s hands find the waistbands of both her sleep shorts and underwear.

“If I’m getting in bed butt naked…” She yanks them down, and Christen gasps as the cool hotel hits her. 

“...then so are you,” Tobin finishes with a grin, her hands already finding the hem of Christen’s shirt.

Christen can only giggle and lift her arms above her head, making Tobin’s job of getting it off her easier as she feels the soft fabric brush past her ears. Upon discarding the article of clothing, Tobin allows herself to be guided to the bed, waiting for Christen to get settled in on her back before crawling on top of her.

Their lips connect as soon as Tobin settles between her hips, keeping her weight up and off of Christen. They kiss and kiss and kiss and _kiss_ as Tobin’s hands roam up and down her body, massaging her breasts and squeezing her hips.

Tobin kisses her lips once more before trailing down to her neck, and Christen knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s utterly soaked. She lets out an involuntary loud moan when Tobin bites down on her pulse, and her hips buck up, searching for friction.

Still, Tobin doesn’t drop her weight down. She denies Christen the pressure she craves, enjoying the desperate whines that are beginning to pour from the striker’s mouth. Christen’s hips buck up again.

Tobin grabs her hips and holds them against the mattress. “I want to make you feel good,” she murmurs in her ear.

Christen can only moan, grabbing Tobin’s hands and shifting to place them underneath her butt. Tobin grips her backside harder, making Christen’s breath hitch. She stops kissing Christen’s collarbone and pulls back.

“Baby look at me,” She commands, waiting until wide, blown out green eyes are looking into her own before continuing, “Will you let me make you feel good?”  
Christen nods quickly, maintaining eye contact as Tobin drops her hips. 

Her hips sink to push down until they’re heavy on Christen’s core, and they both groan at the contact. _Finally_.

As Tobin begins to rock down into her, Christen doesn’t think it can get much better than this. But then Tobin’s hands on her ass are pulling her hips up as she grinds her own down, and Christen’s eyes squeeze shut in pleasure. _It can_.

Tobin brings her to orgasm just from dry humping.

It’s possibly the hottest thing Christen has ever experienced; Tobin’s weight pinning her to the mattress as she grinds down, hitting her clit with every pass. Christen’s already moaning, gripping Tobin’s shoulders as Tobin builds up to a fast pace. In a matter of minutes, Tobin has Christen whimpering incoherently, hips bucking up to meet hers in rhythm.

“Does that feel good baby?” Tobin asks, already knowing the answer. She gets a strangled cry in response as Christen wraps her arms around her neck and pulls her down so their chests are flush together. Tobin buries her face in Christen’s neck, pushing her body down harder into the woman falling apart under her. 

If Christen’s downright filthy moans are anything to go off, Tobin guesses Christen is close to coming. She kisses, licks, and sucks every inch of Christen’s neck as she brings her closer and closer to the edge. 

“Oh god– I– Tobin!” Christen’s hips jolt as her orgasm hits hard and fast, pleasure washing through her like a tidal wave. Tobin doesn’t slow down her pace one bit, grinding into her until Christen’s whimpers from oversensitivity indicate she should stop.

Tobin already knows what she wants to do next. Wrapping her arms to brace Christen’s back and waist, she rolls them over, holding Christen flush against her.

Without giving the woman time to recover, Tobin reaches down between their bodies until she finds what she’s looking for. Christen moans weakly as she feels Tobin spread her lips with her fingers, but jolts up when Tobin brushes against her clit.

“Fuck! Tobin–Too sensitive!” Tobin pulls her hand back, but not too far.

“You’re so wet Chris,” Tobin whines, feeling how the woman’s arousal is already coating her fingers.

Christen groans, partially in response to Tobin but more in frustration. “I want you so bad Tobin, but I’m still too sensitive.”

Tobin nods understandingly, and pulls her down into a bruising kiss. Christen lets Tobin take control, lets Tobin ravish her mouth. An idea pops into Tobin’s head, she pulls away sharply.

“Do you trust me?” She asks hoarsely.

“What?”

Tobin presses her forehead into Christens, “I know your clit is still too sensitive, but do you trust me?”

She feels Christen nod against her. 

Tobin immediately widens her own legs, forcing Christen’s thighs to spread further apart. Her left hand finds its way back down to Christen’s core, and in no time her fingers are stroking through Christen’s folds, careful not to touch her clit.

Without warning, Tobin slowly pushes two fingers into Christen’s wet heat. Christen opens her mouth but no sound comes out. However, when Tobin puls completely out and then thrusts back in, Christen finds her voice, a satisfied moan escaping her lips.

Tobin kisses her as she fucks her; swallowing her moans as she rubs her walls _just right_.

Christen’s been fingered before, but never like _this_. Never with someone hitting her g-spot so perfectly. Her back arches as Tobin increases the pressure and she finds herself unable to stop moving her hips in sync with Tobin’s thrusts.

“You. Are. So. Hot” Tobin raps, punctuating each word with a curling of her fingers. Christen nearly comes right then and there.

“Tobin,” she manages to choke out, “Tobin touch my clit.”

And who would Tobin be to deny such a request?

Her palm starts to hit Christen’s clit with every thrust, and before she knows it, Christen is crying out her name, clenching around her fingers as she comes undone.

Tobin kisses her through the aftershocks. She kisses Christen as she pulls her fingers out, bringing them up to her mouth to lick clean, before kissing Christen again. Christen can’t help but moan at tasting herself.

“You’re too good at that,” Christen says weakly, “I feel like my soul has left my body.”

Tobin chuckles.

“I’m not even kidding,” Christen says, trying to move off the brunette, “Give me like two minutes to recover and I’ll do you.”

Both of Tobin’s arms close around her waist, locking her in place. 

“No can do Chris. Our game is tomorrow, and I’m starting. I”m afraid we’ll have to postpone until a later date in which I don’t have to worry about being able to walk the next day, “ Tobin says.

Christen rolls her eyes, “I didn’t even fuck you that hard last time,” she mumbles.

“My legs were jelly the rest of the day!” Tobin protests, “You’re just too good.”

“Flattery will get you everything Heath,” Christen says with a chuckle, “I guess I’ll just have to save all my plans for next time.”

“Yes you will,” Tobin confirms, kissing her on the head, “But right now we need to get to sleep, we have a game to win tomorrow.”

Christen pecks her on the lips before leaning over to turn off the bedside lamp. She lies back down, naked, spent, and still on top of Tobin, and falls asleep.  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, I have nothing against french as a language or french people. I took it all through high school but could not get over how they pronounced things.


	19. Those Damn Snow Monkeys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nature documentary makes Christen and Tobin realize their pre-game rituals are polar opposites, but shopping, t shirts, and winning the semifinals are more than enough to lift their spirits  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the link if you want to watch the snow monkeys!   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aat9O85ynsI  
______

Christen strongly dislikes the time before games. She might even go as far to say she hates it. The anticipation of what’s to come eats her from the inside-out, and lying in bed while waiting for Tobin to wake up seems to only make her pre-game jitters worse.

She loves being wrapped in Tobin’s arms, she absolutely _loves_ it. _But self care is the best care, so you need to get up and do something_. Christen sighs, enjoying the body heat for one more moment before untangling her limbs and getting out of bed.

She checks her phone, noting that she needs to wake Tobin up in about fifteen minutes, then proceeds to grab Tobin’s copy of _Harry Potter_ and sit down on the ground. Normally, she’d start her morning off with yoga, but books provide a better distraction– no room for thought or reflection.

Time flies when you’re transported to the magical world of Hogwarts, and in no time, Christen is walking back over to the bed to awaken the brunette for breakfast. 

They make their way down to the buffet room slower than usual; Tobin, while perfectly awake, seems to be taking the day at a sloth’s pace. Christen doesn’t know what to make of it. 

“You alright Tobs?”

She gets an easy smile in return, “Of course Chris, I love game days. But I have to hard chill.”

Christen raises an eyebrow. _Hard chill?_. She wants to ask about it, but Tobin looks so content and unbothered that she lets it go for the sake of peace and quiet.

Unlike her girlfriend, the rest of the team is buzzing at breakfast. Kelley has everyone laughing and joking, even Becky, who usually shoots her the death glare this early in the morning, is chiming in. 

Christen grabs coffees for herself and Tobin before sitting down.

“What are we talking about today?”

Tobin fills her in: “Ash is trying to get Ali to teach her some German trash talk.”

The striker glances towards the couple to find Ali giving Ash the “look of disapproval”™, and can’t help but laugh. 

“Well, at least breakfast won’t be boring.”

And she was right. Although Ashlyn’s attempts at learning German were shut down within the next minute, Christen finds herself in a passionate conversation with Becky about the planning of the World Cup. 

“No one would ever expect the men's teams to be complaisant in playing on turf fields in the summer. It wouldn’t even be acceptable to suggest!”

“And not only, like you said, would they never even consider doing this to the men’s teams, but the turf gets so hot, like 100˚ hot! It’s mind boggling to me!”

“Well,” Tobin cuts in, “At least today is a night game. It’ll be a bit cooler right?”

“That’s true,” Christen agrees, “but night games mean I have to find something to do all day.”

“You could always go on a run with Carli, that woman literally runs like its any other day whenever we have a game.”

“Ew,’ Christen scrunches her nose, “exercise.”

Tobin pokes her, “says the professional athlete.”

____

They make their way back to their room, and Tobin asks if she wants to watch tv with her. Christen sees no reason to say no. 

They get settled on their bed, with Tobin sitting between Christen’s legs, citing something about always being the big spoon and demanding to be cuddled. Christen laughs, feeling like Tobin should know better than to think she would ever pass up an opportunity to shower her with affection .

Christen flips through the channels, looking for something interesting, and eventually settles on a National Geographic documentary. Well... more like Tobin spots a baby monkey on screen as they browse, and begs Christen to watch that one.

“Look Chris! It’s so cute, how can you flip through that?!”

Christen only grumbles, secretly having hoped to find Glee, knowing that the life of Rachel Berry would stop her spiraling mind. She has serious doubts as to if these snow monkeys relaxing in a hot spring would be as enticing.

(Spoil alert: They aren’t)

Between the gentle, tranquil music, and the lack of action, Christen finds herself utterly bored. She cranes her neck to see if Tobin shares the sentiment, only to laugh at how the brunette seems to have become a monkey herself.

Tobin’s entire body is limp, sinking back against hers as her eyes slowly open and shut in lieu of regular blinking. Every slow breath she takes makes her belly rise dramatically, as if she were a baby. Tobin seems to be watching the screen with such a relaxed gaze that Christen starts to wonder if she’s in a trance.

The striker leans back again, not wanting to disturb her. _Maybe this is what hard chill entails…_.

_She’s so content just sitting here… I don’t get it, but maybe if I just shut my brain off, I can become a snow monkey too._

Her resolve cracks in a matter of minutes. Christen’s a fidgeter by nature, and Tobin’s weight sinking into her is only making her more desperate to move around. She plays with her hands in Tobin’s lap, cracking her knuckles and pulling on her fingers, before getting bored with that and slowly drawing circles on Tobin’s thighs. It’s not enough, but it’s better than nothing.

She can feel Tobin’s slight shifting as the brunette rotates her head half a degree in hopes to catch her girlfriend in her periphery.

“Chris? You good?” Tobin asks lazily.

“Yep!” she replies, far too quickly and enthusiastically, “I’m totally good!”

Tobin doesn’t reply.

But the volume of the tv is low, and there isn’t much sound coming from tv show. Christen’s knuckle cracking, however, is loud. It seems to echo off the hotel walls _(this hotel doesn’t even have an echo!)_, and bounce around in Tobin’s ear, until the sound of popping joints is all the brunette can hear. It’s driving her crazy.

Tobin’s hands clamp around Christen’s fingers. 

“Christen, that’s driving me crazy..” she says as gently as she can.

Christen huffs, and Tobin sits up and turns around in her lap.

“What’s going on babe?”

Christen runs her hands through her hair, frustrated as all hell, “I’m sorry Tobin. I just– this...this isn’t working.”

_That did not come out right_ is what flashes through her thoughts as Tobin’s face morphs into one of panic.

“I-I what?” sputters Tobin, “C-Chris if you are saying what I think yo-you’re saying..”

_Jesus this is getting out of control…_ Christen rolls her eyes, cursing her horrible word choice before cupping Tobin’s cheeks and pulling her into a sweet kiss. Tobin’s lips are slightly trembling against hers, and she feels _so_ bad that Tobin’s freaking out, and even worse that she’s starting to find their situation almost comical.

As soon as she pulls away, her finger presses against Tobin’s lips, knowing the brunette is going to try to speak.

“Tobin, baby,” the pet name slips out but she doesn’t really care, “be quiet for _five_ seconds and everything will make sense.”

Tobin closes her mouth, and Christen opens hers.

“I am not breaking up with you. I know it sounded like I was, and being a god-damned Stanford graduate, I should definitely have been able to say that better, but whatever. Well, maybe not, it’s not like I majored in anything related to public speaking, but I mean a comprehensive education probably should have made me better at–”

Tobin’s eyebrows furrow in confusion and Christen realizes she’s rambling.

She clears her throat.

“Anyways, I’m not breaking up with you. I just meant that I don’t think I can sit still with you anymore. I get really wound up before games, which I think you’ve noticed by now. I need to distract myself, and so sitting here, watching those _ damn snow monkeys_ breathe with you, while it would normally be wonderful, is slowly torturing me.”

Tobin blinks at her. 

“Chriiis.” she scolds, and Christen prepares herself for the inevitable _‘I just wanted to spend time with you’_ rant, but it never comes.

“Why didn’t you tell me?! I feel bad now!”

_Wait.. what?_

Christen feels the bed shift as Tobin gets up, turns off the tv, and moves to grab their shoes. 

“Chris,” Tobin almost chuckles, setting shoes in front of her girlfriend, before moving to Christen’s suitcase.

“Just because I find you _irresistible_ does not mean that we have to spend this time before the game together.”

She rummages through the luggage until she finds her girlfriends favorite sweatshirt.

“And I think we’ve discovered that our pre-game rituals are not compatible,” she sets the sweatshirt on Christen’s lap, “and that is more than okay!”

Christen finds herself confused, not only by the 180 Tobin pulled– one minute looking like she was about to cry, and then bouncing around the hotel room with an easy smile the next–, but also why Tobin seems to be getting her dressed. 

“Um Tobin?”

Tobin doesn’t seem to hear her. 

“Christen, arms up!” 

Christen complies, feeling Tobin guide her hands into the arm loops.

“Tobin? Why does it feel like you’re about to kick me out of the hotel room?” she says, her world going black as Tobin pulls the fabric over her head.

“Oh, because I am.” Tobin says nonchalantly, grabbing her hands, pulling her to her feet and guiding her out the door.

_Bitch… what?_

“You,” Tobin pokes her playfully in the back, “Are going to go knock on Syd’s door, and tell her that you want to go shopping or something. She will be more than happy to go somewhere with you.”

Christen turns around to see Tobin holding out her purse and a room key card. She takes them, laughing lightly, almost in disbelief. 

“Tobs, why do you look so pleased with yourself?”

“Because,” Tobin leans in to give her peck, “You are gonna go reduce your anxiety levels, and when you are happy, I am happy.” She grabs Christen’s shoulders and spins her around to face the door. 

“Now get moving Press!” she gives her butt a playful pat, “If you need me I’ll be with Harry in her room.”

When Christen tries to turn around to give Tobin a final kiss, she finds herself being shoved out of the room. She pushes back, giggling as it quickly becomes a game of anti-tug-of-war. Christen gains the upper hand as she crashes back into the brunette, spinning around and shoving Tobin against the wall.

The gasp that escapes the midfielder only eggs Christen on. She kisses Tobin hard, swallowing a moan only to pull back seconds later and strut out of the room.

“I’ll see you in three hours Heath!”

Tobin eyes stay glued to the door after it shuts with a ‘click,’ panting hard. _So much for hard chill…_  
______

Three _ and a half_ hours later, Tobin makes her way back from Allie’s room. They had spent the majority of their time lying on the hotel carpeted floor, staring at the ceiling and only moving to drink water to stay hydrated and head down to the hotel lobby for lunch.

She fishes out her key card, only to realize there is nothing in her sweatpant pockets to fish out. _Shit.. I forgot a key._

She knocks on the door, hopeful that maybe Christen has already returned. No answer. Sighing in defeat, Tobin leans against the door and sinks to the ground, too lazy to go back to Allie’s room. 

A little under 10 minutes have passed when her ears pick up a walking rhythm that she knows oh too well. The long, intentional strides are uniquely Christen’s, and Tobin looks to her left to find said woman walking towards her with two shopping bags in hand, looking much more at peace than she had previously. 

“Feel better?” Tobin prompts confidently.

“Oh,” Christen rolls her eyes to the back of her head for dramatic effect, “SO much better.”

“And..” the striker adds as she opens the door, “I didn’t even spend that much money!”

Tobin hops up to follow her, “Ooooh! Can you do a little fashion show for me? I wanna see what you bought!”

Christen feels like her heart might burst; Tobin’s enthusiasm is tooth-rottingly sweet. Never in a thousand years did Christen think she would find someone who took such adorable interest in what she bought and purchased. _That’s like....marriage material…_ And Christen freezes, _It is **way** too early to be having these thoughts_. 

“I’m afraid a fashion show will have to wait,” she says, setting the bags at the foot of the bed, “It’s almost four which means we need to get going.”

Tobin pouts, before realizing she’s had to pee for the last hour, and she retreats to the bathroom.

With haste, Christen digs through one of her shopping bags, looking for two specific purchases, she sets a shirt on the bed, but keeps rummaging until she finds it: a two piece lingerie set she had managed to purchase in the time it took Sydney to use the restroom and call Dom. Christen hides it deep in her suitcase before putting on some leggings to wear to the stadium.

When Tobin comes out of the bathroom, the first thing she notices is the white t-shirt on the bed.

“What’s this?”

Christen looks up from her phone, “Oh! I got that for you today with Syd. I know you have more than enough white t-shirts, but this one seemed like it would fit you in both size and style.”

The brunette picks it up and holds it out. The shirt is made of a nice, sturdy fabric, and it has a familiar black heart where a pocket would typically be.

“This is Comme des Garçons isn’t it?” Tobin asks excitedly, her french accent coming out.

Christen’s mouth quirks into a smile as she makes her way around the bed to be next to the brunette, “Yes, yes it is.” She kisses Tobin’s cheek, “Have I mentioned how much I like it when you speak French?”

Tobin hums, moving her cheek closer to Christen’s lips in hopes of getting another kiss. She gets three. “You might have mentioned that a couple of times.”

“Well,” Christen says, trying to get her girlfriend to turn her head, “that’s because it’s true.”

Tobin backs away, much to Christen’s dismay, “Don’t think I don’t see what you’re trying to do here! But in your own words, ‘We nEeD tO GeT GoiNg.’ No kisses for you!”

Christen pouts, moving to grab her game bag, “You’re no fun.”

Tobin can’t help but laugh.

___

Tobin wears her new shirt to the game, and both Becky and Alyssa ask her what has her putting “so much pep in her step.” Christen keeps her smile to herself.

___

The locker room is loud (as always), with Ashlyn and Abby blasting music and Pinoe twerking on a locker. Christen has always found it astounding that _this_ is how some people get amped up for games. It seems so distracting to her, so disorienting. 

She gets her shin guards out of her bag, noting how old they are. _I should get new ones before the final_.

Christen pulls her socks up to her knees, all the while scanning the locker room. She spots Tobin in her little cubby, headphones on. Christen can’t help but smile as she watches the brunette bob her head to her own little rhythm. She finds herself padding over to the spot labeled #17, and gently removes the midfielder’s headphones to place them over her own ears.

The lyrics of “Int’l Players Anthem” begin to pump through the speakers, and Christen can't help but smile because leave it to Tobin to listen to a song that Christen would simultaneously expect and yet never expect Tobin to have on a pregame playlist. 

_ So I typed a text to a girl I used to see  
Sayin' that I chose this cutie pie with whom I wanna be  
And I apologize if this message gets you down  
Then I CC'ed every girl that I'd see-see 'round town_

Christen puts the headphones back where they belong, but Tobin tucks one side behind her ear, before leaning in to whisper, “For the record, I would never CC any other girl.”

Christen rolls her eyes and smacks the brunette playfully, “You’re a dork.”

“Ladies! You have 5 minutes until we expect you on that field for warm ups!” Both women turn to see Dawn standing in the hall frame.

“You heard the lady!” Abby hollers “Let’s go!”

As the team begins to file out, Christen grabs Tobin’s arm to stop her.

“Can you wait for one second?”

Tobin turns around curiously, quirking an eyebrow, but Christen doesn’t make a move until the swish of Whitney’s ponytail is out of the locker room.

She wraps her arms around Tobin’s midsection, and leans in to connect their lips briefly but sweetly.

“Just in case we don’t really see each other before the games starts, I wanted to do that,” Christen admits sheepishly. “We can go now.”

“Wait!” 

Tobin pulls her in for another, slightly deeper kiss. 

“Okay yeah we can go now.”

______

They beat Germany 2-0. It’s a game worth watching, one that has Tobin’s stomach in knots multiple times.

They have two decent attempts at a goal in the first half: Pinoe’s corner kick, and Alex’s one on one with the goalie, but neither are successful, and they go into halftime 0-0.

Christen rubs the sides of Tobin’s arms quickly, all the while giving her a pep talk, telling her how good she’s been playing– knowing that the midfielder feels crappy about missing a possible header from the corner kick. 

Tobin’s eyes are hyper focused as Christen hands her a water bottle, so focused in fact, that Christen wonders if Tobin is even aware that she’s there. It doesn’t really matter to her though, she just wants to be there if the brunette needs anything.

The second half is much more action packed.

Germany slips past their defense on a long ball, and Christen watches from the bench as Julie struggles to keep up. She sees the blonde’s hand grab the striker’s body to stop her, and _knows_ it’s going to be a penalty even before the German hits the ground.

Christen feels the hearts of the entire team sink with hers when the referee blows the whistle. _Yep, it’s a penalty_. Julie looks ready to curl up into a ball and cry.

Christen has never been fond of penalties. She’s never found goals that result from them to be satisfying.

She watches Germany’s Célia Šašić place the ball on the mark.

_Penalty goals are not a measure of a player’s skill, nor are they a measure of a goalie’s capabilities. They induce high levels of stress and anticipation.._

Christen holds her breath as Šašić backs up.

_Penalties are more a measure of one’s ability to maintain composure than anything else, and they require some amount of luck. Penalties...oh my god Hope is diving the wrong wa–_

She misses.

Christen, along with 40,000 other people, watches as Šašić’s ball goes wide of the goal, but as soon as the ball passes by the post, her eyes are moving frantically to locate a certain someone.

She finds Tobin pumping a fist and looking up to the sky, and Christen knows Tobin is thanking God.

She watches as almost every team member gives Julie a pat on the back, and then they switch back to game mode

In the 66th minute, the US gets their own turn at a penalty after Alex gets tackled inside the box. 

Carli Lloyd doesn’t fail to deliver, and Christen watches as her team runs around in triumph. Still, 1-0 is not a reassuring lead, and a game won off a singular penalty sounds less than ideal. No one on the team wants to win just on a penalty, they want to _feel_ the win.

Tobin comes out in the 75th minute, giving Kelley an enthusiastic double high five as her friend takes to the field. 

The exhaustion from playing her heart out for 75 minutes kicks in the second she steps off the field, and Tobin collapses into the seat next to Christen, wanting to hold her hand, but knowing this was not the place for such behavior.

Christen leans into her ear and gives her shoulder a reassuring squeezee, “You played well Tobs.”

She gets a quick smile in return, and they both turn back to the game, not wanting to miss a possibly second goal, or a *shudders* equalizer.

When Kelley scores in the 84th minute, it’s a big deal. Tobin’s already jumping out of her seat as Carli Lloyd sends the ball across, and she’s pumping her fists as Kelley practically karate-kicks it in. 

The stadium erupts as Kelley runs around like a maniac, yelling as her teammates try to track her down for hugs. 

Amidst the bench celebration of jumping and hollering, Christen can’t help but laugh because _of course, Kelley would gain her first international goal with a move like **that**_. And when the whistle finally blows after four minutes of stoppage time, the entire bench is rushing at their beloved #5, dogpiling on top of her as Cheney cradles her like a baby. 

Emotions are running high because its _Kelley_, and Tobin’s known her for years, has grown up on youth national teams with her, and when Kelley cries, Tobin knows she’s sure as hell gonna cry too. Little happy and overwhelmed tears are trickling down Kelley’s face as the team celebrates her, and if Christen notices that Tobin’s eyes are starting to well up, she doesn’t mention it.

_This is exactly what Kel needed_, Christen notes. In their Stanford days, her and Kelley had been a two-woman-goal-machine. They racked up goals by the dozen together, and as amazing Kelley is as a defender, Christen knows she misses the rush of scoring.

Never having been too religious, Christen surprises herself as she looks to the sky, and sends a message up: _If there is a god up there, thank you._

When she looks back down at her team, she sees Tobin doing the same, and can’t help but feel that everything about this moment is how it should be.  
_____

They get back to the hotel late, still riding the high of their victory. Without much pushback, Kelley manages to get the entire team into her room for movies and card games.

Christen raises an eyebrow once she sees the remote in her college roommate’s hand. _ This can’t be good…_

“Kelley I don’t care if you scored! We are not watching “The Goonies!”” Abby shouts across the floor.

“Why not?”

“You care enough of a gooney all by yourself Kelley,” Becky deadpans as she shuffles the uno cards, “We don’t need you getting any more inspiration.”

Kelley, being the definition of stubborn, does not let it drop. “But you guys are playing cards! You aren’t even watching it.”

Tobin plucks the remote from her squirrely hands, “Yeah well I am. And I vote no on Goonies.”

“You’re no fun Tobito.”

The midfielder notes her proximity to Christen. “Maybe I can find the snow monkeys,” she mutters, just loud enough that she _knows_ her girlfriend heard her.

Christen’s resting smile drops instantly, her eyes already squinting. With much more force than Tobin was anticipating, Christen wrenches the remote out of her hands.

“Like hell you will,” she growls.

After much debate, and Cheney finally yelling to just “Pick a fucking movie,” they choose “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

Christen settles in between Ali and Tobin on Kelley’s bed, and ever-so-slightly curls into Tobin. She’s not nearly as sly as she thinks she is.

Pinoe looks up from her hand of cards, and her eyes almost bulge out of her head. She elbows Ash next to her, and together they smugly watch Tobin snake her arm around Christen’s midsection. Alex just scoffs and shakes her head.

One thing Christen learns very quickly, is that Tobin is a sucker for physical humor. Mr. Rooney’s manhunt has her cackling constantly, giggling every time he runs into trouble. The one part she does not find amusing, is when he manages to throw a flower pot at the family rottweiler.

Her and Christen both gasp, “The puppy!”

She turns towards Christen with a pout, “Chris, he hurt the dog. Imagine throwing a vase at a dog!”

Christen knows she should let it slip, but she just can’t do it. “It’s not a vase, it’s a flowerpot.”

“Same difference,” Tobin mutters.

“Flowerpot,” Christen repeats

“Vase.”

“Flowerpot.”

“Vase.”

“Flowerpot!”

“Vase!”

“OH!” The loud noise from Hope ends their quarrel immediately, “Speaking of vases…” the goalie gets up and moves to her closet.

“I’ve had all the ceramics we painted in Edmonton sitting in these boxes for like two weeks. Now is as good of a time as any for you to come get them.” Hope places a couple of large cardboard boxes in the middle of the floor.

There’s a bit of a commotion as 23 women all try to put their hands in the same 2 boxes at once, but as soon as Tobin gets her fingers on her bubble-wrapped creation, she’s dragging Christen into a corner. 

“Remember how you kept bugging me about what I was painting?”

Christen nods with a smile as she watches the brunette unwrap the vase.

“Here.” She holds it out in front of her for the striker to inspect.

As soon as Christen’s eyes land on two small painted figures sitting, holding each other, the orange, pink and green in the background that Christen had previously poked fun at starts to make sense.

“Is this us?” Christen wants to be sure before she lets herself get too happy.

“Yeah,” Tobin smiles, “It’s us in Edmonton. I know we weren’t together then, and we weren’t together when I painted it either,”

“It only took you two more hours,” Christen interrupts her playfully.

“Yeah that’s true,” the brunette laughs, “But anyways that moment was still really special for me.”

“It was really special for me too,” Christen says softly.

“Well I’m glad, because I made it for you. It’s yours,” Tobin replies, adding a less confident, “If you want it,” at the end.

Christen scoffs at her. _Pff **IF** I want it!_

“Tobin, how could I not? This is…” She stops to look Tobin dead in the eyes, “You are so talented Tobs, and I love it.”

“Really?”

“Yes you big dummy. In fact,” Christen lifts the vase out of her hands, and steps into her space, leaning forward so her lips are ghosting the shell of Tobin’s ear, “Why don’t we go back to our room and I’ll _show_ you just how much I like it?”

Tobin half drags, half carries her out of the room, laughing the entire way.

Ashlyn and Pinoe watch the door shut.

“This is going to be too easy,” the goalkeeper chuckles.

Pinoe laughs with her, “It’s like they aren’t even trying to hide it.”

Allie and Alex join them on the floor with their newly acquired vases, “Whatcha talking about?”

Pinoe gives Alex “the look”, and the blue eyed striker groans, “Not this again…”

Allie, who has been sitting there drinking her water, confused during the entire exchange, finally asks to be filled in.

Alex pulls out her phone, nonchalantly informing her, “They think Tobs and Christen are hooking up or some shit.”

Allie chokes on her water.

“And they have some amount of money riding on a bet with Kelley.” Alex pats Allie’s back soothingly as the blonde coughs, “You okay Al?”

“Yup, “ Allie coughs up the last of the water, “Sorry it went down the wrong pipe.’”

For a second she thinks maybe she should text Tobin and give her a heads up, but her petty side, the part of her that’s still salty at her friend for withholding information, gets the better of her. _Eh, I’m sure it will all be fine_.  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!


	20. The Final

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They come out hungry. And Japan doesn’t match them. As the goals go in, and _keep_ going in, Christen can’t help but feel that _this isn’t a game, it’s a massacre_.
> 
> OR
> 
> The day of the world cup final and all the drama that comes with it  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end!! I think I have two more chapters planned, and possibly an extra stand alone chapter, but we'll see.
> 
> In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
> 
> Stay safe!, stay home if you can, and support local black businesses!

[Kelley O’Hara: 6:30AM]  
**We need to meet!!**

[Kelley O’Hara: 6:30AM]  
**I’m calling an emergency meeting!!**

[Kelley O’Hara: 6:30AM]  
**You all better be in Pinoe and Krieger’s room in 10 minutes!**

[Ashlyn Harris: 6:32AM]  
**Wait what?**

[Megan Rapinoe: 6:32AM]  
**Wait why are we doing it in my room?**

[Kelley O’Hara: 6:33AM]  
**Cuz…. Pinoe’s the only one with a roommate that we can trust. Ali might be pissed at us but she at least knows what’s going on**

[Ashlyn Harris: 6:34AM]  
**You’re really trying to get me killed huh?**

[Megan Rapinoe: 6:34AM]  
**Fine fine whatever… just make it quick**

[Kelley O’Hara: 6:34AM]  
**Alex are you awake??????**

[Alex Morgan: 6:35AM]  
**Yes, unfortunately**

[Kelley O’Hara: 6:35AM]  
**Good, because all of you now only have five minutes to get your butts over to Pinoe’s room**

[Kelley O’Hara: 6:35AM]  
**P open up I’m standing outside**

[Megan Rapinoe: 6:34AM]  
**Good grief Kel**

[Kelley O’Hara: 6:36AM]  
**I have coffee...**

[Megan Rapinoe: 6:36AM]  
**Nvm I’m coming hang on**  
___

Once all four of them are in the room, Kelley makes them sit down on the floor (she makes Ali do it too because according to her, “Ali’s an honorary member of the betting group anyway.”)

After Ali delivers a short lecture about why she doesn’t support this in the slightest and is judging them all harshly, Kelley throws out her proposal.

“I think we need to put our bet on hold…. At least until tomorrow. We play in the final today, and today is about focusing and playing, and hopefully winning and celebrating. I think we should leave them alone, not only so we can focus, but because today is about much more than an alleged hookup.”

“Relationship!” Pinoe corrects her.

“Whatever, you get my point.”

Ashlyn leans over to Pinoe, “She does have a good point.”

“Yeah,” the goalkeeper agrees, “I’m cool with a pause.”

They all shake hands as if this were an official transaction and Ali rolls her eyes. She can’t help but laugh when Kelley makes her shake everyone’s hand too.

“And I mean, Tobs and Christen are professional enough to know they need to focus anyway. I don’t think we’d find much even if we were looking,” Ash points out.

“Hey!,” Kelley points a finger at them, “Stop making it sound like they’re together! We don’t know that yet!”

“Okay well if they WERE together, they’d know better than to be fooling around on a day like this.”  
_____

Christen gasps as she’s backed up against the cool tile wall of the shower, but the heat of Tobin’s body pressing into her front is lighting her on fire. Tobin’s tongue is hot and insistent against hers, licking into her mouth until Christen’s a whining mess. The water falling down on them is making everything slick, making it effortless for Tobin to run her hands up and down her body like there’s no tomorrow. Tobin’s kissing her like she might disappear at any moment, and all Christen can do is hold on to her shoulders for dear life. 

This is not how Christen imagined her morning going. Today is the World cup Final. Christen had envisioned a much more mellow routine for the day, but then Tobin was pleading with her in bed, promising to get her coffee afterwards, and one thing led to another and suddenly they were in the shower. It’s the day of the World Cup Final and they’re making out like horny fucking teenagers in the shower. 

She’s trying to harness some self control, but the brunette enthusiastically licking at her pulse point isn’t making it any easier.

“Tobi–ahh, we have… things to focus on.” Christen tries to wriggle from her grip.

“Mmm,” Tobin kisses her jaw, “I agree… Hold still.”

Christen gives up, her head falling back against the wall as Tobin kisses down her body, mouthing at her nipples, before continuing her journey south.

Now on her knees, her hands gripping Christen’s hips, Tobin looks up to ask for consent, her brown eyes filled with adoration.

“Yes?” 

Christen looks down at her, panting, and nods her head, “Yes.”  
______

Thanks to Tobins “detour” in the shower, both women find themselves rushing down to make the window for breakfast. They speed walk into the dining room in their sweats, water dripping off their hair and onto the backs of their shirts. That “coffee” Tobin promised her ended up just being regular hotel coffee that was a little too cold to be enjoyed. Christen tries to feign some anger, or annoyance at the very least, but she’s still in post orgasmic bliss.

The game is scheduled to start at 4:00, which typically means Jill holds a meeting directly following the end of breakfast, and then gives the team the remaining time until lunch to themselves. Christen knows she’s likely not going to play today, which eases her nerves enough to consider the prospect of participating in a “hard chill” with Tobin. 

But it turns out Tobin doesn’t plan on hard chilling.

As soon as they get back to their room, Christen beelines for the bathroom and heats up her straightener. Her curls had finished air drying sometime during the meeting, and while she’s learned to love her curls, they’re less than practical for game settings.

She’s halfway through her hair when Tobin walks into the bathroom. Tobin loops her arms under Christen’s arms, and presses a kiss to the back of her girlfriend’s head before grabbing a small bag from the counter and leaving. Christen finds herself mildly curious as to what’s in the bag.

She steps out of the bathroom–hair perfectly straight– to find Tobin sitting at the desk painting her nails. 

_I didn’t know she could paint nails… She looks so focused_

“I’ve never seen you paint your nails before Tobs.”

“Hmm?” Tobin looks up, “Oh yeah, I only do it sometimes.”

Christen watches as she applies one confident stroke after another, amazed at how precise the brunette is. “You’re pretty good.”

“Thanks. My mom and sisters were always supportive of me and my path growing up. They knew I was a tomboy,” Tobin opens another bottle of nail polish, “But it didn’t stop them from trying to get me to be like them. I don’t think they meant any harm, I mean it wasn’t like they were trying to convert me or something, but I think that they wanted a way to connect with me. So they were always begging me to come paint my nails with them or paint their nails for them.”

Tobin looks up to see Christen smiling at her. “I love hearing you talk about your family,” she says genuinely.

The brunette gives her an easy grin in return, before getting back to work. “I kinda grew fond of it, and now whenever I do it, I think of them.”

“That’s really sweet. Are they coming today?”

Tobin’s smile falters, “No uhh, no they’re not. I’m umm, a little grateful for that though.”

_What? Why?_. The questions never make it out of Christen’s mouth before Tobin is continuing.

“They weren’t there at the final in 2011, but they were watching on the tv. It was bad enough for me to miss that penalty and know that they were probably seeing it on replay, over and over again, I don’t know what I would have done if they were there in person.”

Christen’s heart sinks for her.

“And,” Tobin’s stroke falters, “I don’t know what I would do i-if we lost again….today, and they were there.”

Christen watches as Tobin smears nail polish on her cuticle.

“Shit!””

_This is bad_

“Fuck I can’t even get nail polish right today how am I supposed to play in a final!”

_This could be really bad_

“Tobin,” Christen’s hands fly to cup her face, “Baby look at me.” 

She’s not ready for the amount of shame and fear she finds swimming in those brown eyes.

“Chris, Jill is gonna start me...What if I fail the team again?”

Christen strokes her cheek. “Oh Toby,” Christen pulls out the nickname she’s learned to reserve for ‘special occasions’ (more like special crises), “You won’t fail the team, sweetheart, you are gonna do so good today. I know it.”

She grabs the nail polish remover from Tobin’s bag, and has her lay her hand flat on the table.

As she rubs away the stray marks, she strokes the hand without polish, trying to soothe Tobin before her sudden panic gets out of control.

“Tobin? Will you let me paint your nails for you?”

She gets a quiet “okay” in response.

“What color do you want this nail to be?” Christen gestures to her pinky.

“Red please.”

Christen paints her nails on both hands, all the while reminding Tobin just how talented she is, how well she’s been playing lately, how it is not 2011 anymore, and that it will not feel like 2011 today.

By the time her nails dry, Tobin is smiling as Christen recounts another story of her and Nima’s middle school shenanigans.

“Better Tobs?” 

“Yeah. Thank you Chris.”

Christen kisses her cheek and stands up, “Anytime you need it Tobs. Can we watch some tv? I want to take another stab at this whole ‘hard chill’ business.”  
______ 

The field is hot. Like _really_ hot. They’ve been warming up on it for the past hour, and now they stand lined up, hands on their hearts, as the national anthem reminds them why they’re out there, what they’re playing for, and who they represent. The sounds of a sold-out stadium are echoing everywhere, and Tobin has never felt more alive.

She’s never felt more ready.

Tobin keeps herself amped up through the team huddle, lets herself absorb the final cheer, and takes to the field with an extra spring in her step.

Maybe it’s because she caught Christen smiling at her before they got in position, maybe it’s because it’s the World Cup freakin’ final, or maybe it’s a mix of both, Tobin doesn’t know, but she doesn’t think too hard on it. She has a game to focus on.

The ref’s whistle blows.

**And the game begins**  
__

They come out hungry. And Japan doesn’t match them. As the goals go in, and _keep_ going in, Christen can’t help but feel that _this isn’t a game, it’s a massacre_.

**One**  
It hasn’t even been three minutes. They’re two minutes in, and Morgan is already invading the box with the ball at her feet. Her cross gets blocked but they get a corner. A corner kick means a set piece, and the US is _good_ at delivering off set pieces.

Christen checks for Tobin’s position. _Guarded… heavily guarded, as well as Alex._

Rapinoe drives a low ball in and the Japanese defenders are so occupied tracking their marks in the box, they don’t notice Carli rushing in. They don’t notice until it’s too late; until Carli is sending the ball screaming past their keeper and into the bottom left corner. 

The crowd’s roar surges as the players register that they’re up 1-0 and it’s only the third minute. Joy is coursing through Tobin’s veins as she tackles her nearest teammate in a hug before running to the corner with Carli.

Christen watches as their starting players huddle near the stadium’s edge, hugging and hollering. She notices Jill didn’t even stand up, her coach wearing a satisfied look that says: _There is more to come. I **expect** more to come_

And boy, does she get more.

**Two**  
Tobin gets tripped. 

She

Gets

TRIPPED

And honestly, Christen shouldn’t even be that angry. It wasn’t even that bad of a tackle. Her eyes stay trained on Tobin as her girlfriend gets up and walks away. _See? She’s already up! Calm down Christen._

As ticked off as she is, Christen has to admit that Tobin’s foul has its perks. Major perks. Perks as in a free kick just outside the box.

Cheney sends the ball in right to Julie, which the blonde flicks behind her– a move Christen _knows_ Julie practiced with Tobin recently– and Carli taps it in. The crowd erupts again and this time, the team chases Carli as she runs around screaming with adrenaline. She beelines for the sidelines.

Tobin’s elated as she runs after Carli, but she gets even happier when she notices they’re headed towards the rest of their team. _Because yes, Carli kicked it in, but that was a team effort. That was a team goal._ And Carli knows such a goal should be celebrated with everyone.

Abby is going batshit crazy by the time they reach the sidelines, jumping up and down on Carli’s shoulders as the rest of the team crashes into her. Tobin finds Christen’s face across the chaos, but Christen is too busy celebrating the goal.

It wasn’t the prettiest goal, but it’s a goal. They’re up 2-0, and it hasn’t even been five minutes.

**Three**  
The third one is glorious. Tobin sends a long ball into the box, but it doesn’t have quite as much power behind it as the brunette would have liked. A Japanese defender gets her head on it before Alex (the intended target) has a chance to, and it bounces straight into the air.

Lauren charges it hungrily, poaching the ball falling from the sky and sends a rocket of a volley into the top of the goal. The goalkeeper didn’t stand a chance. 

Everyone on the bench is running around, Abby and Kelley spreading their wings like eagles as they soar up and down the sidelines.

Jill Ellis raises her fists up in triumph. This was what she meant by, “more to come.”

It hasn’t even been 15 minutes.

**Four**  
If the third one was glorious, the fourth is mind boggling. It’s crazy, it’s flashy, and best of all, it’s utterly humiliating for Ayumi Kaihori, the japanese goalkeeper.

Carli intercepts a pass, taps it past an offender, looks up from the ball, and has barely set foot past the half-way line when she realizes Kaihori is way off her line. 

She shoots a cannon, with the entire team’s prayer riding on it. The shot drives past the keeper’s desperate attempts to backpedal and get a hand on it, and it rolls into the goal.

The crowd goes utterly nuts. Jill and the assistant coaches are _dancing_. It all feels too good to be true.

Christen thinks back to Tobin opening up about her fears of losing to Japan again after last time. She realizes that yes, Tobin missed her penalty, but Carli did too. _Damn… if Carli felt like she had something to prove this time around, she better know that she has more than proven herself._

A hat trick. Carli has a hat trick.

Carli has a hat trick less than 20 minutes into the game.

**Five**  
The final goal comes later. It’s off another corner sent in by Cheney, which goes straight to Morgan. Morgan one touches it to Tobin, who slots it in, taking off running as soon as it hits the back of the net. 

_Tobin scored_

_Tobin scored_

Christen’s hands are over her mouth as she watches her girlfriend scream in triumph.

_**My** Tobin scored_

Tobin’s arm goes up as she barrels towards Morgan, circling around each other as they run into a group hug.

And Christen knows that _this_ was what she needed all along.

___

They’re standing centimeters outside the field when the final whistle blows. Tobin sprints back onto that field as if she hadn’t walked off it just 15 minutes before, beaming as she runs towards her teammates.

She sees Morgan sliding into Carli’s side on the ground, Ashlyn running for Ali, and Christen hugging Cheney.

_We won_.

_We fucking **won**._

They thrust up that trophy as their fans scream and confetti rains down on them, soaking up the utter elation of victory. Tobin gets handed the trophy, and the weight of it grounds her. _She was right...It was nothing like 2011. Christen was right._ Tobin’s eyes widen _Christen.._. She hands the trophy off to an eager Kelley, and scans the group, her heart taking a leap when she sees Christen looking up to the sky in awe.

Some of the players start to make their way off the podium, but some stay, and Tobin is grateful that Christen is one of them. The crowd is still screaming as she takes Christen’s hand and leads her up a step up on the platform.

Tobin doesn’t even care about the possibility of a camera catching them as she slips her arm around Christen and pulls her close.

But Christen does. “Tobin...what?”

“Shh...don’t worry about it,” She raises her other arm up to the sky, closing her eyes as she opens her body to the continuous fall of confetti, “Just stay here with me for a second.”

And Christen does. She leans into Tobin’s side, her hand able to feel the brunette’s heartbeat, and lets the joy run through her.  
____

Tobin meets her family. Well...not all of it, but there’s a woman with Christen’s curly hair and green eyes calling for Christen from the stands, and a man with a kind face waving his hands. Tobin thinks she just might know who he is.

Christen had seen them making obscene gestures at her right after they finished the team victory photo, and she knew she had to go say hi. 

“My family is over there, and I’m going to go say hi,” Christen had informed Tobin, “You want to come with me?”

Tobin had felt her heart skip a beat. _She wants me to meet her family?_

“Do you want me to come with you?” Tobin had replied cautiously, not wanting to impose.

Christen had given her a small smile as she gripped her hand and started walking, “I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t want you to.”

They reach the stands and the woman reaches her hand down for Christen to hold, “You won Mo! Congratulations!”

Christen is full blown smiling as she does some tiny secret little handshake with the man, “It feels so surreal! I’m afraid I’m gonna wake up to find that it was only a dream!”

She steps back and sees Tobin standing there, just smiling at the interaction. “Ty, Nima, this is Tobin. Tobs, this is my sister Tyler and my best friend Nima.”

“So THIS is the dude who blew up your vase with a firecracker!”

Nima laughs, “Chrissy! You told her about that?!”

“I’ve actually heard quite a bit about you, but all good things of course,” Tobin flashes her million dollar smile, “It’s great to meet both of you.”

Tyler pipes in, “Well congrats on the win to you too! I’ve heard quite a bit about you in the last six years… not all good things..” 

Tobin grimaces.

“BUT,” Tyler continues, “Obviously you two have worked through your beef so thank god for that!”

Tobin looks over to find Christen blushing. “I did not talk about her that much!”

“Mo that’s a lie and I’m calling you out on it! I literally always made sure I always had time free after Chicago’s games against Portland so you could vent to me about how mean that one winger was and how much you hated how good she was.”

“Tyler!”

“Okay sorry I’ll stop! I’ll stop! God forbid I embarrass my baby sister!”

Tobin gets into an easy conversation with Nima, and Tyler yanks Christen in by her jersey.

“You, little missy,” She whispers into her sister’s ear, “have a lot of explaining to do on how exactly you went from giving Tobin Heath looks that say“ I would murder you given the chance,” to “I would make babies with you if that were biologically possible.”

Christen chokes and pulls back, “I do not look at her like that!”

“Look at who like what?” Christen turns to see Tobin looking at her.

“Nothing, nevermind,” Christen waits until Tobin turns back to Nima before flipping her sister the bird and mouthing ‘I don’t look at her like that!’  
___

They’re walking towards the locker room when something clicks in Christen’s mind.

“Tobin,” she grabs her arm, “Wait up I think we have one more stop to make…”

She scans the crowd.

“Wait who?”

Christen keeps looking around the front row, “Remember the dude that threw a literal baseball into our hotel room? He said he would be here.”

“Oh god I totally forgot about that! We should find him.”

“Yeah I’m trying.. But I can’t remember what he said he would be wearing. I think it was a goalie jersey but I’m not sure…”

Something goes off in Tobin’s head, and she whips around, “It was Ash’s jersey and a purple headband! And I remember seeing someone vaguely like that over there.”

They jog over, and there stands a boy with dark hair, who couldn’t be a day older than 15. All the fans around him are craning forward, trying to get signatures and pictures, but they manage to single him out after signing a couple jerseys.

“Hey kid,” Tobin says, giving him a bit of a smirk, “You wouldn’t have happened to have thrown a baseball through a hotel window like a while back…”

His eyes go wide and his hand flies to his mouth, “Holy crap. It worked! And you’re Tobin Heath!”

Tobin laughs, _He’s a little starstruck.. This could be fun_. She puts on a serious face, “What’s your name again?”

“J-Jay,” he replies, “Jay Grimmer.”

“Well Jay… that baseball crashed into our room and shattered the window.”

She watches in amusement as the color drains from his already pale face.

“Don’t listen to her,” Christen cuts in before the poor boy faints, “It wasn’t that big of a deal. It was pretty comical actually.”

Jay smiles sheepishly, “Well either way, I’m grateful it worked, but I’m sorry if I caused any trouble.”

Tobin finally drops the act and takes a pic of her, him, and Christen. _If it wasn’t for that baseball, we never would have had to change rooms… We kinda owe him big time._

“You didn’t cause any trouble Jay,” she says as she walks away, “I actually have a lot to thank you for.”

They leave him with a confused look on his face as they join their team in the locker room.

_____  
Upon arriving back at the hotel with silly-string in their hair and sweat coating their skin, Tobin grabs a towel.

“We have about an hour and a half before we need to be ready for dinner.”

“Okay,” Christen replies, “Do you want to shower first?”

Tobin’s smile tells Christen everything she needs to know before the brunette even gets the words out. “Actually… for the sake of saving time and efficiency, I think we should shower together.”

“Oh yeah?” Christen mocks her, but she starts to take off her pants, letting Tobin know she’s already on board, “It’s all for efficiency right?”

“Completely logic based,” Tobin confirms, trying to keep a straight face.

They get in the shower and Tobin turns the water on. It comes out cold and Christen’s shrieking as soon as it hits her, grasping for the door handle to escape, but Tobin wraps both arms around her waist and holds her under the water, laughing as Christen loudly curses the day she was born.

As soon as the water reaches a pleasant temperature, Christen quickly regains her composure and demands that Tobin wash her down as reparations. It’s not even a punishment, and they both know it. Never in a million years would Tobin pass up an opportunity to put her hands on Christen’s naked body.

The striker hums in approval as Tobin works the shampoo into her scalp, followed by coconut scented conditioner. She lathers Christen’s body in soap (and Christen doesn’t scold her when she feels her hands lingering on her ass). 

As soon as she’s rinsed off, Christen removes herself from the shower, much to Tobin’s dismay.

“Hey! Chris what about me?!” Christen can’t help but laugh at the whine in her girlfriend’s voice.

“Maybe next time you’ll think twice before holding me under freezing water!” She exits the bathroom, “Plus I’m not the one who played 79 minutes today. You need the extended shower more than I do!”

Tobin groans loudly, “I guess I”ll just have to get MYSELF off with this stupid showerhead then…”

The thought of Tobin pleasuring herself is almost enough to send Christen strutting back into the bathroom, but she manages to stay put as she dries off and rummages around her suitcase.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Christen shouts back as she uncovers the lingerie. She quickly puts the pieces on before slipping on some sweats and a sweatshirt, “I have plans for you tonight…”

Christen laughs as she hears the echoes of Tobin’s stutter followed by the crash of a shampoo bottle hitting the shower floor.  
______

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think in the comments! I'm going to try to get another update out soon...


	21. Afterparty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team celebrates their World Cup victory, Tobin and Christen celebrate on their own, and Ash and Pinoe also find reasons for celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end people! As usual, enjoy the chapter and stay safe.
> 
> *Smut warning*

“Tobito!”

*BANG BANG*

“Tobito open up!”

*BANG BANG BANG*

“Pressy answer the door!”

*BANG BANG BANG BANG BA–”

Tobin flings the door open, “Kelley can you get anymore impatient?” and Alex, Allie, and Kelley march past her into the room before she’s even finished talking.

“Come in I guess,” Tobin rolls her eyes, turning and shutting the door as her friends make themselves comfortable on the beds.

“Wow Tobs! Look at you; you’re already dressed and everything,” Alex says excitedly, jumping up to inspect Tobin’s navy jumpsuit more closely, “Allie and I normally have to force you into this kind of stuff, this is a nice change of pace.”

“Where’s Pressy?”

Tobin furrows her eyebrow. She honestly isn’t quite sure where the raven haired woman is. All that she knows is that Christen had left the room in search of mascara before Tobin had gotten out of the shower.

“I’m not quite sure,” the brunette says, “She left while I was showering but I think she said something about borrowing mascara?”

“Oh!,” Alex says, “Then she’s probably with Kreigs. That woman has like five different mascaras.”

Almost if on cue, Christen opens the door, and Tobin’s jaw drops.

Christen’s hair is down in loose curls (which means Christen went to all the effort of straightening her hair and then curling it again), and she’s in a little black dress that ends mid thigh and hugs her in all the right places. Her makeup is tastefully done–noticeable, but not over the top– and Christen’s wearing those medium hoops that make Tobin’s stomach do flips.

_God she looks gorgeous..._

Tobin feels a hand under her chin, and looks up to see an amused Allie looking at her.

“Careful Harry, if you’re that obvious someone’s gonna notice the drool on the floor!” the blonde whispers with a smirk.

Kelley springs up from the bed at the sight of Christen “Damn! I thought Tobin looked good in her jumpsuit but Pressy you look _hot_!”

Christen chuckles with a modest blush, “Leave it to Kel to pump me up like old times.”

“No seriously Pressy, you looking to impress someone? Ha! ImPRESS”

The striker can’t keep her eyes from rolling, “First off, you’ve made that joke so many times I’m just not going to acknowledge it anymore. Secondly, we just won the World Cup! I think we can focus on bigger things than hookups.”

“True that, true that, but anyways we came in here to see if you two wanted to catch a cab with us to dinner?”

“Yeah, that sounds great. That good with you Tobs?”

Tobin, who still isn’t over Christen’s choice of outfit, doesn’t respond until Allie smacks her, “What? Oh yeah that’s fine by me.”

“Perfect!” Alex says, already opening the door, “I’m starving, let’s go.”  
___

Dinner is delicious and wonderful; Jill gives a speech that gets everyone smiling, and they eventually move to the after party venue: a club not too far from the hotel.

Christen pulls Kelley towards the bar for tequila shots immediately upon arriving.

“Come-on Kel! For old times sake!” she pleads, already signaling to the bartender.

“Ha!” Kelley snorts, “How could I forget the most iconic duo in Stanford’s history: Press and tequila!”

Christen grins, downing two shots, before handing two to Kelley, “Stop talking and take these.”

“Bitch, I’ve lost too many times trying to keep up with you! This is a horrible idea! I should not be matching you one for one!”

“Shhhh shut up and drink!”

Kelley shoots Christen one final glare before downing both of them, grimacing at the aftertaste.

Christen catches a flash of tan skin, navy fabric, and clumsy heels in her periphery, “Tobs! Come do shots with us!!”

The brunette is easily dragged in, and soon the trio is surrounded by empty shot glasses, laughing and recounting old stories. Kelley had to put a cap on herself after a certain point, holding strong to just staying buzzed, but Christen and Tobin kept going, and before they knew it they were tiptoeing the line between buzzed and drunk.

“Okay you two,” Kelley gives them a pat on the back as she gets up, “I’m going to find Alex, please don’t get shitfaced while I’m gone.”

Tobin gives Kelley a goofy grin, and Christen blows her a kiss as the defender walks into the abyss of people.

“Chris,” Tobin says slowly, as if she has to plan out every individual word, “I wanted to tell you that you look really, _really_ good.”

Christen’s gaze darkens, “Can I tell you a secret?”

Tobin leans in, closer than she needs to but neither of them says anything.

Christen blinks twice “I lied to Kelley,” her fingers start languidly stroking Tobin’s wrist, “I don’t want to focus on anything but you.”

Tobin licks her lips, her free hand creeping up Christen’s leg. “Did you dress up to impress me?” she whispers.

Christen nods, “I’m always trying to impress you...I always want you so bad.” The way she practically moans out the last part has Tobin on her feet in seconds, pulling Christen towards the bathroom.

They’re giggling as Tobin drunkenly kicks open the bathroom door, pushing Christen up against the first hard surface she can find. Her kisses are hot and heavy, and a little sloppy (she can thank the alcohol for that one), yet Christen finds herself hooking her leg around Tobin’s hip in an effort to pull her closer.

Kissing Tobin is like magic. Christen’s knees go weak and time seems to stop. Tobin makes all the noise around them disappear. It’s magic. So magical, in fact, that neither of them hear the door swinging open.

Kelley and Alex freeze at the sight of them, but Christen doesn’t even blink an eye; she barely even notices they’re there and Tobin– well Tobin is far too focused on trying to successfully bite Christen’s lip to care about anything or anyone else.

“Do they even see us?” Kelley whispers.

“I’m not sure…” Alex replies, not quite whispering, “but I doubt it because sober Christen would be mortified right now.”

“That’s true,” Kelley confirms, “I remember one time in college I walked in on her and some boy making out. She got so embarrassed you would’ve thought I caught her having sex.”

“And,” the defender adds, “We just lost the bet.”

Alex, being far too competitive to give up so easily, reasons with her, “Not really. I mean for one, we agreed we would pause until the next day, and it’s only 9:45. Secondly, what Ash and Pinoe don’t know won’t hurt them.”

Kelley lets out a cackle, “I like how you think Lex. It doesn’t count if we don’t let it count!”

She holds open the door for the striker.

“It TOTALLY doesn’t count! Look at them, they’re so drunk.” 

Alex’s voice slips through the door on their way out, and her words begin to register in Christen’s inebriated brain. _We’re drunk… Oh my god we’re drunk!_ She immediately pulls back, but Tobin doesn’t get the memo, chasing her lips as Christen tries to form a coherent sentence.

“Tobin…”

The brunette keeps trying to capture her lips but Christen isn’t having it.

“Tobin!”

Tobin swiftly gives up on her lips and moves to suck on her neck, murmuring in discontent.

“Tobin! We’re drrrunk and it’s not even 10 yet!” Christen gasps into the empty bathroom.

She finally gets Tobins attention, who pulls back and blinks at her stupidly. Christen springs into action gripping her girlfriend’s arm as she marches towards the bathroom door. 

“Weee need to get sober,” the striker slurs as the music hits them full force. They make their way over to the bar as fast as they can (more like as fast as Christen can in heels because Tobin is just getting dragged at this point), which isn’t very fast at all given the fact that they’re both drunk, clumsy, and in heels.

“PIIINOOOE!”

A blonde head whips around. Christen never yells that loud unless she’s on the pitch (she isn’t), or she’s drunk (she is). Pinoe can’t seem to walk fast enough because Christen yells again into the booming abyss of people.

“PINOE COME ORDER FRIES WITH US WE NEEEED TO GET SOBER!”

Tobin blinks. “French fries?”

Christen manages to order them some food and without too much of a hassle, although the bartender gave her a look that was far too objectifying for it to come from someone who isn’t Tobin (in her opinion at least).

Pinoe eases them into a booth with Kling and Morgan, raising an eyebrow as Christen shoves a tall glass of water in Tobin’s hand.

“Drink this Tobs.” She says. Pinoe slyly pulls out her phone and starts recording when Tobin tilts the glass back too much and water starts dripping down her face. The blonde knows she hit a gold mine when Christen surges forward to stop her, gripping the glass and tilting it down as her other hand settles on Tobin’s back. 

When the food arrives, Christen practically inhales the entire order of fries. Well, she inhales half the order. She spends the next 10 minutes shoving the other half into Tobin’s mouth, pressing every fry to the brunette’s lips a little less drunkenly than the previous. Kling and Morgan, and _obviously_ Pinoe find the entire ordeal hilarious, and are sad to see it come to an end in a shocking 30 minutes. Somehow, Christen managed to get both herself and Tobin from drunk to tipsy in half an hour.

Still seated in the booth, Tobin leans into Christen’s ear. “Not that it wasn’t incredibly endearing to watch drunk-you take care of drunk-me, but why do we need to be sober?”

Christen turns towards her, grateful that the other women previously with them had left for the dance floor, and says “Because had we kept that up, we would have ended the night holding each others’ hair back as we take turns vomiting in the toilet, and I intend for our night to take a different trajectory.”

Tobin’s eyes darken at the implications of what “different trajectory” entails. 

“Oh? Well maybe we should start on that different trajectory right now.” She slides out of the booth in hopes that Christen will follow her out of the club, into the hotel, and into bed, but no such luck.

“Not so fast Tobs,” Christen says, standing up and pulling her back, “You owe me lots of dancing before any of that is gonna happen.”

Tobin lets her girlfriend lead her towards a circle of teammates. She watches as Christen sways her hips to the beat, and suddenly, dancing doesn’t seem like a bad idea at all. She keeps her distance, they are in public afterall, in front of their teammates who they very much want to keep in the dark. Still Tobin finds that she’s enjoying herself, even as Allie makes her dance with her. 

Christen notices as their teammates go from buzzed to full on intoxicated, gradually losing awareness, and decides it’s more than safe to do what she’s been wanting to do since their feet hit the dance floor.

Tobin watches Christen strut over to where she stands, feels as the striker turns around and presses back into Tobin’s front and guides her hands to her moving hips. Tobin holds back a moan at just _how good_ it feels to have Christen pressed up and moving against her.  
She feels Christen’s arm loop around the other side of her neck, holding her close as they move to the thumping bass.

Christen grinds back into her, and Tobin feels like she’s on fire. “Chris,” she groans weakly. Christen grinds back again, “Chris you have to stop doing that.”

The striker whips around and Tobin is taken aback at the dark eyes that meet her own. Christen’s usual olive green eyes are blown black with want.

“Or what?” she rasps in the brunette’s ear.

_Enough is enough_. “Or I just might take you right here,” Tobin rasps back.  
The whine that escapes Christen’s throat informs the other woman that it is, in fact, time for them to go. Tobin closes both her and Christen’s tab at the bar, calls them a taxi, and then leads them out of the club.

A taxi ride has never gone by slower. Tobin reaches a point where resting her hand on Christen’s thigh, caressing the soft skin there, isn’t enough anymore. She’s five seconds away from opening the car door and carrying Christen back to the hotel herself, but then the car is slowing to a stop, and Christen is pulling her out.

They wait nervously for the elevator doors to close, Tobin prays that _nobody_ joins them. To both of their relief, the doors slide shut with just the two of them inside and the elevator hasn’t even started ascending before Christen is pushing her up against the railing, kissing her hungrily. Tobin feels her stomach flip, but she can’t tell if it’s the fact that Christen’s tongue is in her mouth, or that the elevator is moving.

The doors open with a ‘ding’ and they stumble into the hallway. They don’t even make it inside before Tobin has her pressed against their hotel door, fumbling with the key as they kiss furiously. Christen’s tongue taunts her as she struggles to swipe her card, but eventually Tobin gets the door open, and Christen lets the brunette walk her backwards into the room, not wanting to separate their lips for even a second.

Tobin reaches behind her for her dress’s zipper, pulling it down and pushing the straps off Christen’s delicious caramel shoulders. The little black dress falls, pooling at her high heels. 

And there it is. Tobin holds back a choke as she takes in the sight of her girlfriend wearing nothing but lace. It’s a two piece matching set; a black lace push-up bra and cheeky, black lace underwear that barely covers the swell of her ass.

Heat floods her center._Holy shit…._

Tobin’s hands immediately take purchase on Christen’s lace-clad hips, and the brunette groans at the feeling. “God Chris…”

Her hands move down to hold Christen’s butt, “You look _so_ good.”

She pulls Christen flush against her, nuzzling into her neck to place soft kisses as she gropes her _voluptuous_ behind, “So sexy.”

Tobin feels Christen’s hands trail down waist to the tie of her jumpsuit, and suddenly remembers that she too, is wearing a surprise. She can’t hold back a small giggle at what’s about to be their situation.

Christen pulls back, confused to find amused brown eyes. “What are you laughing at?”

Tobin kisses her soundly, her own hands moving down to quickly untie the bow before guiding Christen’s hands to her zipper.

“Undress me and find out.”

Christen holds her breath as she drags the zipper down, but inhales sharply at the first hint of lace adorning Tobin’s body.

_Don’t tell me she also…_

Tobin steps out of the legs of her jumpsuit and Christen is at a loss for words.

There stands Tobin Heath– her girlfriend who wears men’s t-shirts and boxers– in black lingerie that leaves even less to the imagination than her own set.

Christen thinks she might faint.

“I wanted to surprise you,” Tobin mumbles sheepishly, “but it seems like we had the same idea.”

Christen barely hears her, too transfixed on the sight of Tobin in lingerie; Tobin wearing something so feminine and sexy, _for her_. Something inside her coils, and Christen looks back up to find Tobin’s eyes locked on hers as the brunette sits on the foot of the bed.

Christen immediately moves forward to straddle her, moaning at the feeling of Tobin’s lace panties pressed against her own. _It’s one thing to wear lingerie, it’s another to feel someone else’s against your body_. Her hands rake up and down Tobin’s taut stomach, and settle under the small swell of her breasts. Christen palms her gently as she captures Tobin’s lips with her own, swallowing the soft moans.

“I love kissing you,” Christen mumbles against her lips.

“Mmm, I can tell,” Tobin mumbles back.

Christen kisses down her neck to her pulse point, kissing, sucking, licking–anything to keep her mouth on Tobin’s skin.

“Chris, that’s gonna leave a mark.”

“I know.” Christen sucks even harder and Tobin whimpers.

She presses one final kiss to the mark, the skin already turning to an angry shade of red, before moving up to find Tobin’s lips again.

Tobin’s arm wraps around Christen’s waist to steady her as the other moves up to cup her breast. Christen shutters, her breathing picking up as Tobin’s thumb runs over her nipple through the lace. Tobin does it again and Christen feels her thighs clench. 

“So beautiful Chris,” She mutters, mouthing at her other breast, “So beautiful for me.” She starts licking, and Christen is putty in her hands, whimpering and rolling her hips in search of friction.

Tobin’s hands immediately grab at her ass, guiding her hips as she helps set a slow, delicious rhythm. She tongue’s at Christen’s lace-covered nipple as her hand rocks the stricker forward again and again. Christen’s gasping for air, her hands clamping down on Tobin’s shoulders as she picks up the pace, and Christen’s not sure how much more of this she can take.

Tobin releases the lace–covered nipple with a ‘pop,’ giving it a final kiss before leaning back slightly.

“Can you come like this?”

Christen’s hips keen forward at the mention of release.

“Honestly,” Christen breathes out, “I don’t know if I can wait to find out.”

She feels Tobin’s arms wrap under her thighs securely before the brunette stands up, spins them around, and throws her onto the bed. Christen lands on pillows with a shriek that quickly dissolves into giggles.

Christen’s legs fall open as Tobin crawls up above her, and Tobin realizes her high heels are still on. As sexy as the black heels are, it’s time for them to come off. Tobin kisses Christen’s ankles as she unclasps the shoes, before gently sliding them off and dropping them to the floor.

Once they’re off, she climbs up and settles between Christen’s legs. Once again, she’s unprepared to be hit with the slight of her girlfriend, splayed out on the bed in lace.

“Is it bad that I don’t want to take this off of you?” Tobin asks, brushing her thumb over the lingerie.

Christen whines at the contact. “No,” She guides Tobin’s hand to the front clasp, “But I _need_ you to take it off of me.”

The clasp comes undone, and Tobin slowly opens it, pulling it off her shoulders. She can’t resist kissing Christen’s stomach as she pulls her underwear down too. Tobin starts moving down the bed, until her face is inches from Christen’s center.

Tobin’s tongue only just touches her folds when she stops her.

“Wait.”

Tobin immediately pulls back, “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, yes,” Christen leans up on her elbows, hoping eye contact will keep Tobin from spiraling into thinking something is wrong, “I just want to do you too.”

“Oh.” Tobin pouts, “But I wanted to have you first.”

“No…” Christen bits her lip, struggling to find the words to convey what she wants, “I meant… I want to do you at the same time… as you do me.”

And _oh_, that does the trick. Tobin’s eyes darken as she licks her lips.

“I’ve never…” Christen starts, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

“Yeah neither have I,” Tobin says gently, reaching to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Christen’s ear, “But you’re really making me want to try.”

“Yeah?” Christen asks hopefully.

“Yeah.” Tobin confirms.

“Okay,” Christen says, trying to harness some confidence, “Turn around around for me.” 

The brunette shuffles on her hands and knees until her hands are by Christen’s thighs and her knees are against Christen’s shoulders. Christen pulls down Tobin’s underwear, laughing at the little leg dance Tobin has to do to help her get them off.

She feels Tobin’s hot breath against her center, “You ready?”

Christen hooks her arms around the tops of Tobin’s thighs and pulls her closer to her own face, smirking at the gasp she elicits. “Now I am.”

She lifts her head off the mattress to kiss Tobin’s center, her tongue nudging at the wet folds.

“Oh fuck,” Tobin moans. _That feels so good_. She runs a finger through Christen’s slit, trying to keep up, but she can’t stop her hips from jerking everytime Christen licks through her.

She parts Christen’s folds and licks up towards her clit, her moans sending vibrations into Christen’s core that only spur the striker on. Christen sucks her swollen clit into her mouth, her hands groping Tobin’s ass, and it’s almost too much for her to take. Tobin shuts her eyes, panting and trying to keep it together. She’s almost glad she can’t see Christen. Tobin knows the sight of her girlfriend with her mouth between her legs, looking up at her with those green eyes, would be too much. Christen’s hands wrap around her butt, pulling her even closer as she relentlessly sucks on Tobin’s clit.

“Chris.. If you do that..”

Christen sucks harder and Tobin’s eyes roll back.

“Fuck Christen! Fuck I’m close.” Tobin’s hips jerk down again and again, “Christen Christen Christen fuck fuck–”

Christen pulls away right as Tobin’s about to fall over the edge. The brunette gasps and whimpers at the loss, whipping her head around to stare pitifully at her all too satisfied girlfriend.

“You ruined my orgasm.”

Christen smirks and blows on her dripping center, “Get back to work on me, and maybe I’ll let you come this time.” She licks Tobin lightly.

Tobin glares at her for a second before turning her attention back to Christen’s core. _Fine... She wants a toe curling orgasm? I’ll give her a toe curling orgasm._

She circles Christen’s clit with her tongue as she slides fingers through her folds, gathering wetness.

“Just like that Tobs,” Christen moans.

Tobin begins to circle her two fingers around Christen’s entrance, dipping in and out, but never truly sinking in. Christen whines against her center and bucks her own hips up, trying to get them deeper. Tobin holds her hips down with her other arm, and Christen groans in protest. 

“Be patient.”

Tobin moves her fingers up to circle her clit a couple times before dragging them down and pushing them into her soaked heat without warning. Christen moans so loud the vibrations nearly make Tobin come.

“Fuck Christen, you feel so good.” She sets an almost punishing pace, pumping her fingers in and out, rubbing Christen’s front wall with every stroke. Christen’s licking her frantically, too absorbed in her own pleasure to form her own rhythm.

Tobin starts hitting that one spot, over and _over_ again, and Christen can feel the coil inside her start to snap.

“Tobin!” she gasps.

“Are you close?” the brunette pants, finding herself also near the edge once again.

“Yes I’m,” Christen chokes down a sob, “Please baby, don’t stop.”

Tobin pumps her fingers in harder and sucks Christen’s clit, moaning into it as Christen flattens her tongue against her.

Christen comes with a muffled scream, toes curling in the sheets, and Tobin comes with her, both women refusing to stop their ministrations until the other is satisfied.

“Wow,” Christen pants, amazement laced her voice, “That was...”

Tobin climbs off her and moves to lay beside her, “That was something else.”

“Yeah I liked that a lot, like _a lot_ a lot,” Christen says, smiling.

“Yeah well your first orgasm didn’t get ruined!” Tobin pouts.

“Aw,” Christen kisses her, “Is Tobin gonna get pissy with me?”

“She just might,” the brunette threatens.

“Well, in that case,” Christen leans over her, their lips nearly touching, “I think I should take care of you.”

Tobin gulps, already feeling her arousal build again.

“Get on your hands and knees for me,” Christen whispers sweetly, giving her a wink.

Tobin quickly does what Christen asks, even switching to her elbows when Christen requests it.

Christen’s hands trail up Tobin’s back until they hit the black lace of her bra, the bra that she’s somehow still wearing. _Oh no that won’t do_, Christen frowns.

“Can I take this off of you Tobs?”

Tobin nods. She’s pretty sure she would give Christen anything in this moment if she asked.

Christen quickly unclasps it and discards it to the floor, “Good girl.”

Tobin feels herself clench down on emptiness at Christen’s words. She didn’t think she was one to get off on praise. _Anything with Christen is possible I guess..._

The feeling of Christen draping herself over her back resets her focus. She turns to see Christen looking straight at her, her usual green eyes completely blown out, but just as gentle as ever.

“What do you need baby?” She coos, rubbing Tobin’s clit tantalizingly slow.

And _fuck_, Tobin has to close her eyes for a a minute to even just register the question, because Christen’s gaze is a little too much for her. Her black hair falling over her face as she leans over Tobin is a little too much for her, and she just looks _so_ pretty, and– Tobin knows _exactly_ what she wants.

“I want your fingers inside me,” she pleads.

“How many Tobs?” Christen can’t help but drag it out. Despite asking the question, she’s not fully prepared for Tobin’s answer.

“Three,” Tobin whimpers, “Fuck maybe all of them, I don’t know I just need them now.”

Christen chokes on her own saliva, the image of her fucking four fingers into Tobin running through her brain. She quickly regains composure, _Oh my god_.

“Okay Tobs, okay. I can do that,” She kisses Tobin’s shoulder, “I’m gonna take such good care of you.

Her fingers return to Tobin’s folds, feeling around for her entrance. _She’s soaked_.

“Tobin,” Christen can’t help but moan, “You’re so wet.”

Tobin can only whimper in response.

“Is it for me baby?” the striker asks.

“All for you,” Tobin moans, “Always all for you. Just please Chris, now.”

Christen pushes two fingers in, _two to start seems like a good idea_.

“I’m gonna take my time with you,” Christen says, “Is that okay?”

“Yes, yes that’s fine just please, don’t stop.” Tobin barely gets out before the feeling of a third finger elicits a moan.

_Good_, Christen thinks, _Because this night is far from over_.  
_____

Christen wakes up alone. Her eyes aren’t even open as her hand pats around the bed, trying to find her girlfriend, only to feel cold, empty sheets. Logic tells her not the panic: _Relax Christen, last night was not the first night she had sex with you. If she was going to leave, she would have done it weeks ago._

Still, Christen would be lying if she said that relief didn’t wash over her as soon as Tobin burst through the hotel door with a cup of Christen’s favorite oolong tea and a bowl of fruit, wearing a baggy shirt and sweatpants. She smiles when she realizes sitting atop Tobin’s head, is that green snapback that never fails to drive her a little crazy.

No words are spoken as Tobin sets the drink and bowl on the nightstand, placing them in Christen’s reach, but Christen reaches for her with both arms instead, kicking back the covers as the brunette accepts the embrace. Christen meets her lips halfway, craning up as she pulls Tobin down on top of her. She feels Tobin kicking off her slides before fully climbing into bed again.

Christen’s kisses are soft and sweet as she holds Tobin close. She breathes the brunette in, sighing at Tobin’s familiar scent of coffee and warmth. Christen thinks she could get lost in Tobin like this, with her soft, full bottom lip moving against her own and all her weight pressing Christen into the bed. _Maybe we could both get lost, and then we’d never have to leave_.

Neither of them realize that they never heard the door click shut after Tobin’s return. Not until it’s too late. Without hesitation, in barges Ash, followed by Pinoe and Kelley.

“AAAAH AHAHAA!! I KNEW IT” Tobin and Christen’s heads jerk up in horror to see Ashlyn jumping and screaming in triumph.

“OH MY GOD LOOK AT THEM!” Pinoe spots them in the bed, Christen clearly naked under Tobin, and joins Ash in her celebration, “YES YES YES!”

Both women groan, Tobin in annoyance and Christen in mortification._Those two look happier about this than winning the World Cup… and that’s scary_

Tobin swiftly pulls the comforter up and over their heads. “Go away!”

Christen lets out another groan, “Tobs, that’s not gonna work.”

“It was worth a try. And at least now they can’t see us”

“ALEX GET IN HERE!! GET IN HERE!” 

They feel the comforter get yanked back, and Christen finds herself staring up into the eyes of none other than her college roommate, Kelley O’Hara.

“ASH THERE’S LINGERIE ON THE FLOOR THAT HAS TO BE WORTH ANOTHER $50!”

Christen winces as Kelley raises an eyebrow at her. While Kelley might have no boundaries, Christen most certainly does, and her face is getting redder by the second.

When Alex and Allie waltz in, Allie muttering something about it being ‘only a matter of time,’ Tobin and Christen both decide enough is enough.

“Guys! Get out!”

While they might be annoying, Tobin knows their friends won’t push it. To her relief, they quickly file out of the room, still laughing as they shut the door with a ‘click.’

Christen covers her face with her hands and groans. “Oh my God.”

Tobin collapses on top of her, “Yeah, we just got majorly busted.”

The striker scoffs, which slowly turns into a giggle, “Yeah? Well whose fault is that?”

“It was only a matter of time,” Tobin laughs with her. She’s glad they’re able to find some humor in their current, embarrassing situation.

“Well,” Tobin speaks again, “We seem to have two options now.”

Christen quirks an eyebrow, “Elaborate.”

“We can either get dressed, go downstairs, and face the music… Or, we can just do our own thing until we have to leave. It’s not like they have a key, and the door is, in fact, closed this time.”

Christen thinks for a moment, before wrapping her arms around Tobin’s waist. 

“They’ve already interrupted us once. They can wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got one more chapter planned for this. Comment any predictions or requests below, and I'll see what I can do...


	22. You and Whatever You Bring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Facing the music is never fun, and neither are goodbyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally had no intention of making this fic so long when I started... but here we are! Thank you to everyone who has stuck around until the end, your support was the reason I came back to finish this. 
> 
> So enjoy!

“I can’t believe they bet money on us!” Christen exclaims, flopping onto the bed.

Tobin chuckles, tossing the room key on the table before joining Christen on the bed. “Really? Because I totally can. That’s like...right up their alley. Pinoe and Kelley make bets all the time.”

“I swear the nerve of some people...” Christen shakes her head, thinking back to their encounter with their snoopy friends earlier this morning…

_Earlier that morning_

They eventually had been forced to leave their room in search of food, and of course, Ash, Pinoe, and everyone else involved was waiting for them.

Christen had groaned when they turned the corner towards the hotel coffee shop and seen the group. She had even tried to backtrack and move away before they caught sight of her, but she had been too late.

“Pressy!” Kelley’s voice was a bit sing-songy, “Don’t you dare try to run away! We have so much to talk about.”

Christen had rolled her eyes, before letting Tobin take her hand and walk her over to the group. Ash and Pinoe at least had the decency to let them place their food orders in peace before making room at the table.

Everyone had sat there in silence, with Christen picking at her croissant as all the women waited to see who would break the ice. It had ended up being Tobin.

“So…” The brunette stirred her coffee, “You guys want to tell us what you were doing in our room?”

“Actually,” Pinoe countered, “How about you guys tell us what _you_ were doing in your room. Nice hickey by the way.”

Tobin flipped the blonde off.

Ash chuckled, “We were snooping.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah,” the goalkeeper had continued, “We’ve been in your business for weeks, watching you two. This morning was just the final icing on the cake.”

“I’m not following,” Christen cut in.”

“I mean we’ve known there’s been something going on between you for weeks,” Ash explained, scoffing as the two women’s eyes widened, “I hope you guys didn’t think you were subtle, we were on to you from the start.”

“Oh yeah?” Tobin had challenged, knowing that her and Christen’s story was a bit complicated, “When was the start?”

“Well, our good friend Kelley pointed out a strange change in behavior between the two of you a couple of days after you both got kicked out of practice, but I knew you guys had something the moment I looked into your hotel room and saw Christen lying on an unmade bed.”

Christen’s face had scrunched in confusion, “What did that prove?”

Ashlyn smirked at her, “The other part was that Tobs’s bed was made, but I know Tobin well enough to know that she never makes her bed… never. And the cleaners are on a two day schedule for our team, which means the only way that bed could be made, is if no one slept in it. But the only way that that could have happened, is if you two both slept in one bed.”

Tobin and Christen’s eyes had flicked over to each other, as if to say, _Damn!_

“Motherfucking Sherlock Holmes,” Pinoe mutters, running her hand through her hair.

“That’s when I knew you two were involved in some way. But Kelley still didn’t believe me”

“Okay,” Tobin said slowly, “But that doesn’t explain why Pinoe, Alex and Allie are here.”

“Well!” Ash had clapped her hands together, excited to get to the good parts of the story, “Kelley still didn’t believe me when we saw you two strutting around the airport like _US Today’s Newest Hot Couple_, but Pinoe did.”

“But Alex didn’t!” Kelley had cut in, still as stubborn as always. 

“Yeah, but it became a bit of a competition… about who was right about you two.”

Christen’s eyes had narrowed, “What kind of competition?”

“A $200 bet,” Pinoe had said nonchalantly, and Tobin choked on her drink. The entire table had smiled and let out a couple annoying cooes as Christen patted and rubbed Tobin’s back, trying to help the girl breathe.

“TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS?” Tobin exclaimed once she could speak.

_Honestly you shouldn’t even be surprised_ Tobin had told herself, _this is typical crackhead behavior. This is right up Kelley and Ash’s alley._ They both loved playing games, both being ones to create a form of entertainment whenever one wasn’t provided. Kelley, who might be the most competitive player on the team (possibly rivaled by only Alex), also needs to always be right. And bring flamboyant Pinoe into the mix, Tobin knew she shouldn’t even bat an eye at this arrangement.

Still, she wanted to know why. “ “You guys bet two hundred freakin’ dollars on us?”

“I mean it was worth it,” Ashlyn fistbumped Pinoe, “We knew we were right from the start.”

“Yeah well it wasn’t worth it for me,” Kelley had slung an arm around Christen’s shoulder, “but don’t worry Pressy, I still love you even though you cost me a pretty penny.”

Christen had squinted at her_Unbelievable_

“Excuse me? **I**ruined your bet?” She flicked Kelley’s forearm until the defender retracts her hand.

“I mean yeah,” Kelley had said, picking at her cuticles, a habit she’d had as long as Christen had known her, “If you had just kept your hands to yourself I would have $200.”

“Well I mean it was Tobin who couldn't keep her hands to herself,” Christen had muttered under her breath, “But whatever.”

Alex’s ears perked up, “What was that Christen? Tobin did what?”

Christen caught Tobin’s ears turning beet red. It was endearing, then again everything Tobin did was endearing to her. “Nevermind.”

“Oh no no no,” Kelley had smiled smugly, “Enlighten us...I’m sure we’d all love to hear the story of you two shacking up at camp.”

“Well,” Tobin had said, chugging the last of her coffee, “As much as I love a good storytime, Christen and I have to pack, so this recounting you want for is going to have to be postponed.”

She had been met with a series of whines and boos, but Christen had taken her outstretched hand–which somehow warranted a chorus of “aww’s”– and they had made their way back to their room, where they now currently laid, amazed and a bit appalled at how invested their friends were in them.

“I don’t even want to think about all the shit the rest of the team is gonna give us.” 

“Do you think they’ll care all that much? Because I think those five are a bit of an exception,” Tobin points out.

Christen sits up and takes a moment to think, tapping her nose as she ponders Tobin’s theory. “You know, you just might be right. The rest of the team has better things to worry about.”

“And,” Tobin adds, settling behind the striker, “As annoying as all of them are, you know they would all keep it a secret for us if we asked, right?”

“We do have pretty great teammates don’t we?” Christen muses, leaning into the brunette’s embrace.

Tobin’s arms around her tighten, “So… we have about 4 hours until we need to be packed and on a flight to New York. What do you want to do?”

“What makes you think I want to spend this time with you?” Christen deadpans, earning herself a light smack.

“Hey!” Tobin fingers find her stomach tickling Christen as she frantically tries to escape, “take that back!”

Christen shrieks and squeals, squirming around in Tobin’s arms. She’s strong, a small fact Tobin seems to have forgotten, and in no time, the brunette is flat on her back, Christen having pinned her hands on either side of her head.

“No tickling,” she warns, straddling the brunette, “Or I’ll withhold sex.”

Tobin gasps, “You wouldn’t….”

“Try me Heath.”

The midfielder studies her face suspiciously, looking for any sign she might be joking, and indication of a cracking resolve. She finds nothing, but chooses not to indulge her girlfriend’s threats.

“Can I have a kiss?” She asks, not missing a beat.

Christen blinks. “Seriously? I threaten you and you ask for a kiss?”

Tobin wriggles under her, craning her neck up to get closer to Christen’s lips. It’s endearing.

“Well my super gorgeous girlfriend is sitting on top of me and holding my hands against the bed. I think this is a perfect time for a kiss!”

_She’s so ridiculous._ Christen rolls her eyes, a smile creeping on her face, _She’s perfect_. “Fine.”

Their lips meet for what Christen intended to be a brief peck, but Tobin’s hand comes free of Christen’s grip, and the brunette wraps her hand around the back of Christen’s neck, deepening the kiss before eventually pulling back. 

“But seriously, what do you want to do?”

Christen looks down at her flushed girlfriend, looks at the bed they’re conveniently on, and knows there is an easy answer, an answer she is more than happy to give. But something stops her.

“As much enticing as fucking you into the mattress sounds, could we go out instead? Maybe explore Vancouver or get lunch?”

Tobin’s eyes light up, “That actually sounds really fun. Let’s do that!”

Christen rolls off her and faces her suitcase, “I don’t want to change out of my sweatpants… Do you think we can get away with being out in public like this.”

Tobin grins at her, giving her a peck on the cheek before grabbing a snapback.

“We just won a World Cup, Chris. We can do whatever we want.”  
___

They exit the hotel in shorts and comfy t-shirts– because Tobin had convinced her it was too hot for sweatpants and sweatshirts. She’d laughed when she saw the ridiculously over the top sunglasses Christen brought along, giggling as Christen made her try them on and snap photos.

They take the shuttle into the city, walking along the streets hand in hand, grateful that no one seemed to recognize them. Christen could’t help but find it comical when they passed a sports store, Tobin’s number 17 jersey on window display, and no one looking at the jersey seemed to notice who was right in front of them.

They window shop, Tobin finding some cool trinkets for her siblings, and Christen buying new incense, before they decide it’s time for some food.

“What are you in the mood for?” Tobin asks, already pulling up Google Maps on her phone.

“Honestly,” Christen looks around, “I really don’t care, I’m just hungry.”

Tobin’s thumb stops scrolling, her eyes lighting up as she gets an idea. “How about I just take us somewhere and you don’t ask any questions until we are seated there?”

Christen raises an eyebrow, but also holds out her hand. “Alright, lead the way Tobs.”  
___

Christen beams, laying the napkin in her lap as she takes in the signature green plants and sail canopy roof of her favorite Vietnamese food chain, “I think I should let you lead the way more often.”

Tobin smiles back at her, “I recognized the name of it on Google maps t and instantly knew this was where we should eat. I’m glad to know I was right.”

Christen hums in approval, sipping from her water glass. She lets Tobin order a coke this time, knowing they’re not on a strict diet anymore, but as soon as their waiter leaves with their drink orders, Tobin closes her menu and hands it to Christen.

The striker raises a questioning eyebrow.

“Well I mean you’re gonna order for both of us right? I think our last trip here proved I don’t know what I’m talking about,” Tobin says sheepishly.

Christen smiles at her, accepting the menu and flipping it open. “I was hoping you’d say that…”

She orders two of the vegan dumplings, ignoring Tobin’s plea for three orders, along with spicy bok choy, squid, and a tofu dish.

Tobin lets her ramble on and on about the squid, laughing and snapping a picture of her girlfriend’s excited face when the food finally arrives.

“So,” Christen says, picking up a tofu cube, ‘What are your plans for when this is all over?”

Tobin pauses and sips her coke before speaking. “I’m not really sure yet. I might go back home, but I don’t know. Kelley mentioned maybe doing a surf trip, maybe in Hawaii or something, but yeah. I don’t know yet.”

“You don’t really plan these things out, do you?” Christen inquires, her voice free of judgement.

“Nope,” Tobin supplies, “Not at all. You should read my page on the US Soccer website. The article is literally about what a nomad I used to be. I still am, but I guess my roots are planted a little stronger now that I’m sorta settled in Portland.”

Christen nods, knowing Tobin has more to say.

“Ash offered her couch for a couple of weeks if I just wanted to chill, and of course my condo in Portland is always open… I just haven’t decided yet.”

“You like to keep your options open,” Christen comments, “It makes sense, but I could never live like that. I go crazy without having at least an outline of a plan.”

“Yeah?” Tobin asks, leaning back, “What are you doing after all this?”

“Oh, I’m going home,” Christen replies quickly, chuckling at how immediate her response was, “Don’t get me wrong, making the roster for the World Cup was a dream come true, and winning it blew my mind, but I miss my family. Between this and my club team, I haven’t been back home in a while.”

“You’re home sounds really nice Chris,” Tobin comments lightly, “You said it’s by the beach right? Palos Verdes?”

“Yeah, it’s right along the coast. My parents have this great house, my dogs stay there while I’m gone and it has a great lawn and pool, and I just feel so relaxed when I’m there. My sisters will be there, and I’m already looking forward to just being with them in persoon,” Christen looks up to see Tobin smiling at her. Tobin’s honey brown eyes are gazing right at her, and Christen’s taken aback at just how content the brunette is.

_It’s going to be so weird not seeing this everyday_.Something in her feels unsettled, but she ignores it. “So yeah,” she finishes, “I’m going home.” _And I kinda want you to come with me…_Christen can’t stop the thought from passing through her mind, and her eyes widen as if she were afraid she’d said it outloud.

_It’s too early for that Christen! What are you thinking? She can’t just come stay with your family, what would she do there? So what if there’s a beach for her to surf on, and taco trucks and art museums and– she’d totally love it there and you know it. You want her there and you know it. _

“Chris?”

She’s jostled from her thoughts, looking up to see Tobin looking at her amused, “Where’d you go just now Chris?”

Christen clears her throat, “Nowhere, sorry just got a little lost in thought.” _You can’t ask her. We’ve been together for less than a month, heck, you hated her a month ago! What if she freaks out._ Part of Christen knows Tobin wouldn’t freak out, but she doesn’t acknowledge it.

“So,” Tobin taps her plate with a chopstick, “Are you gonna finish that or can I have it?

Christen grins at her as she stuffs the final piece of squid in her mouth, laughing as Tobin grumbles.  
______

The worst part is that once the idea is swimming around in her head, it’s all she can seem to think about. _I want Tobin to come with me_

_I want Tobin with me_

_I don’t want to leave her_

But Christen doesn’t ask Tobin to come with her at any point. Not during the awards ceremonies, not during the ticker tape parade. She doesn’t even mention Palos Verdes. Not even once, despite the fact that it’s been on her mind since they had lunch.

Christen knows she has no business being upset over it, but she can’t help the sinking feeling she feels in her stomach when the team coordinator starts asking where players want their return flights booked to, and Tobin replies with Florida. She doesn’t even ask what’s in Florida.

And to be honest, Tobin doesn’t know either. She’s not entirely sure what she ended up saying, but ultimately it doesn’t matter. She’d looked Christen’s way as soon as the question left the coordinators mouth, hoping that the black haired girl would look at her, or send any sign that maybe she’s not ready for them to part. Because Tobin knows that personally, she is not.

It’s something Tobin’s been thinking about nonstop since Christen asked where she was headed. Her gut had her one breath away from blurting out “Wherever you’re going,” but she’d caught herself in time. _Christen misses her family, she needs time with them and she probably needs time away from you. You guys haven’t even been together that long. Don’t get ahead of yourself._

She’d done her best to act nonchalant, listing her original set of possible plans from before the World Cup had started. It’s true, yes she wants to surf, and yes she wants to visit her family, but more than anything else, she wants to stay with Christen.

____

“Chris have you seen my sandals?”

“Check behind the door.”

“Oh!” Tobin walks back to her suitcase holding the pair of blue flip flops, “Found ‘em.”

Christen smiles at her, continuing to fold her shirts and put them in her suitcase. Tobin puts the sandals in a shoe bag before moving to place them in her own suitcase.

“Um Christen?” Tobin quirks an eyebrow, staring into her mysteriously barren suitcase, “Where are all of my sweatshirts?”

No response.

Tobin catches a guilty, yet remorseless look on the strikers face, and her eyes narrow, “Chris….”

She reaches over into Christen’s pile of clothing and rummages around, eventually pulling out the three sweatshirts in question. Christen snatches them right back.

“Hey! Chris I need those,” Tobin reasons.

She’s met with puppy dog eyes. _Christen’s_ puppy dog eyes, and Tobin should’ve known it would be game over as soon as the striker played that card. Christen pulls out all the stops, hugging the hoodies to her chest as she stares longingly back at Tobin, begging her to give in.

“Fine,” Tobin resigns, “You can keep them…”

Christen grins, and kisses her cheek.

“Until we see each other again, then I want them back.” The words are out of her mouth before she can stop them, and Tobin watches Christen visibly tense up. _Because when is that gonna be?_

Christen opens her mouth, and Tobin holds her breath, only to exhale in disappointment when Christen closes it again without a word. Tobin looks away, refocusing on packing.

“Okay well if you’re taking all of that, what am I supposed to wear?”

A devilish grin grows on Christen’s face as she rummages through her suitcase, giggling as she holds up a cardinal red sweatshirt and throws it at the brunette.

“No! Christen! No Stanford stuff,I will not wear this!” Tobin shouts, flinging it back at her.

Christen laughs and throws it right back at her. She lets herself get lost in the joy of innocently fooling around with Tobin. Laughing with Tobin. Smiling with Tobin like they aren’t saying goodbye indefinitely tomorrow. 

But she thinks Tobin sees right through her. She thinks Tobin probably notices how tight she holds on as she gets tackled to the bed– notices how Christen doesn’t even fight back, how she just pushes her face against Tobin’s warm chest and listens for her heartbeat. But Tobin doesn’t say anything, only holding Christen just as tight as they lay in silence, both thinking _Why do I already know goodbye is going to be so hard?_  
___

Goodbye is hard. Harder than either of them anticipate, despite the fact that Christen spent half of the night laying awake, thinking about it. While Tobin slept in her arms, she kissed the brunette’s head and promised herself she wouldn’t cry where Tobin would see her.

Now standing in line, waiting to check in, Christen’s having a terrible time trying to keep that promise. She wants to cry everytime she looks at Tobin, her eyes starting to sting as she reminds herself that in less than an hour, Tobin is going to be gone. Tobin, in her maroon beanie and stupid white t-shirt will be on a plane flight to the opposite side of the country. It hurts to look at her. The worst part of it all, is that Christen can’t bring herself to look away from her either. 

She wipes her eyes a final time as she steps up to the airline’s desk, checking her bag and getting her boarding pass without a hitch. But as soon as she reconvines with Tobin, and sees Miami destination sticker, her eyes start to water and she looks away, frustrated to be back at square one. _This shouldn’t be so hard._

They go through security and Christen slams her backpack into the bin a little aggressively, but Tobin makes no comment. It’s once they get to Tobin’s gate everything starts to fall apart.

“This is me,” the brunette says, regret evident in her voice.

“Oh,” Christen says, “I’m Virgin America 28A, so I’m down a bit further.”

Tobin lets go of her suitcase, “So this is goodbye, isn’t it?”

Christen nods, blinking furiously as she tries to stop the tears from spilling. One escapes, sliding down her left cheek. She thinks she hears Tobin whisper “Please don’t cry,” as the brunette’s arms wrap around her, and it takes all of Christen’s strength not to lose it and start sobbing. _If I fall apart now, I’m never going to make it to my gate._ She squeezes her eyes shut and hugs Tobin, pressing a kiss to her neck.

_United Airlines flight 5426 to Miami will now begin boarding_.

“That’s me Chris…” Christen tries to ignore how strained Tobin’s voice sounds.

She kisses Tobin, “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you more,” Tobin warmly quips back.

“Goodbye Tobin.”

They separate, and Christen gives her a weak smile as she walks away.

“I’ll see you soon!” she hears Tobin shout to her, and she throws a thumbs up over her head, too vulnerable to turn around.

Christen’s lip trembles as she counts down the steps until she’s out of Tobin’s view. She falls apart as soon as she rounds the corner, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sobs. Christen doesn’t stop walking.

___  
Tobin stays rooted where she stands as Christen disappears from view. Even in a bustling airport, Tobin feels as if she can still hear her. She’s almost certain Christen’s crying on the other side of that corner.

_This isn’t right_, Tobin tells herself, _this isn’t how it should’ve gone._ She looks her hand, at her nails– the nails Christen painted for her– digging them into her palm as she debates her next move.

The intercom startles her: _Now boarding for United Airlines flight 5426, again boarding for flight 5426_.

Tobin stares at her gate for a moment, before grabbing her suitcase and rushing towards the Virgin America kiosk.

_I’m not getting on that flight_  
____

They’ve just started boarding business class when Christen’s ears pick up on the sound of feet running in her direction. She would know that running pattern anywhere. _Tobin…_

Christen’s head whips around, her eyes already starting to prickle, to see Tobin running towards her with her suitcase skipping behind her. 

Suddenly the tears she’d managed to push down are coming back up again, and Christen’s crying as she drops her carry-on and flings herself into Tobin’s opening arms.

Tobin’s embrace is warm, and Christen feels the brunette holding her like she might run away at any second. Like she could ever run away. The words are spilling out of Christen’s mouth before she can stop them, then again she isn’t so sure she _would_ stop them if she had the choice. “I don’t want to leave you yet. I _can’t_ leave you yet. I’ll pay for it, change your flight, come to LA with me. Stay with m–”

Tobin cuts her off, kissing her like she might never get to again, like she can’t breathe without it. Christen’s lips taste salty, like tears, and Tobin pulls back just to wipe the remaining ones away.

“I already changed it,” she says as she kisses Christen’s wet cheeks, her thumbs rubbing soothing circles into her shoulders.

Relief washes over Christen’s body, but she wants to hear it again, just to be sure. “What?”

“I changed my flight. I can’t leave you yet either. I’m following you to LA.”

Christen sighs and lets herself sink further into Tobin’s embrace, wrapping her arms around Tobin’s back and rocking them side to side. Tobin doesn’t quite know what to make of the striker’s silence, and she starts to backtrack.

“If that’s too much, that’s okay too,” Christen’s head shoots up off her shoulder but Tobin keeps going, “I can rent a hotel room somewhere and surf and–”

Christen pinches her brow, trying not the laugh, “Tobin.”

“–You don’t even have to see me if you don’t want to.”

“Tobin!”

Christen rests their foreheads together and whispers, “Don’t be stupid. Of course I want to see you. I just damned near had a breakdown in the middle of the airport over leaving you, so don’t be stupid.”

And after that, how could Tobin _not_ kiss her? She kisses Christen until they’re both smiling too widely to continue.

Christen pokes her chest, “And you aren’t getting a fucking hotel room! We’ve both been in hotels for long enough anyways. You’re staying with me, and that’s final.”

Christen holds her hand out expectantly, “Let me see this ticket of yours. I wanna see how far apart we’re sitting.”

Actually, I bought a first class ticket so I can bribe whoever’s sitting next to you to switch with me,” Tobin smiles foolishly.

It stops Christen in her tracks. _Those can be more than $1,000, especially last minute_. “You did not!” she gasps, but fails to hide her excitement. _Tobin bought an expensive ass ticket so we could sit together… Hell she bought a ticket to LA so we could be together._

She’s grinning like an idiot at Tobin takes her hand, guiding her towards the boarding platform. Tobin’s hand is soft, and _so_ warm, and Christen can’t stop thinking about how her heart hasn’t been beating steadily since the brunette came running towards her gate. But really Christen knows it’s more than that. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she thinks she knows her heart rate hasn’t been steady since Tobin pushed her up against the wall in the locker room and kissed her as she cried angry tears–hasn’t been steady since those soft brown eyes started looking at her like she’s all Tobin wanted.

Christen knows it’s too early to love her, and far too early to say it outloud, but something about the way Tobin– the nomad who goes with the flow– is throwing it all out the window as she pulls them onto the airplane, something about it reassures Christen that Tobin’s past just being infatuated, she’s invested. Christen thinks that makes two of them.

She watches as Tobin negotiates with the man who purchased the seat next to her, feels Tobin become more assertive as the man catches sight of Christen and actually debates between first class treatment and riding next to someone as drop dead gorgeous as Christen.

Christen can’t help but squeeze Tobin’s hand as the man eventually gives in and moves up to first class. “I’m all yours now.” 

She meant it as a joke, but the more Christen thinks about it, the more she realizes she actually _does_ mean it. The look Tobin gives her in return is filled with so much affection, and Christen mentally throws her initial intentions out the window, because fuck it, she means it.

This is something to her. _Tobin_ is something to her. Christen can practically feel her brain releasing serotonin as she leans across the seat and captures Tobin’s lips in a kiss. A kiss as if to say, _I can’t believe I used to hate you, and I really can’t believe you’re on this plane right now.”_

A kiss that says, _I’m ready for you and whatever you bring._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thinking about maybe doing a spinoff chapter that focuses on Ashlyn's many attempts to bust them... lmk if that's something y'all are interested in.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:
> 
> Writing tips are greatly appreciated. Lmk what you thought in the comments.


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